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Illustrated  ,^bum 


OF 


ALAMEDA  COyNTY.  CALIFORNIA 


ITS 


Early   History   and    Progress— Agriculture,   Viticulture 

and  Horticulture— Educational,  Hanufacturing 

and  Railroad  Advantages    Oakland  and 

Environs     Interior    Townships 

—Statistics,    Etc.,    Etc. 


COMPILED    BY 

JOS.    ALEX.    COLQUHOUN, 

Secretary  Alameda  Couvly   World's  Fair  Association. 


ILLUSTRATED   BY 

E.  S.  MOORE,  Oakland,  Cal. 


OAKLAND,    CALIFORNIA: 

Pacific  Press  Publishing  Company. 

1893. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Chapter  I — Early  History  and  Progress  ; .    3 

Chapter  II — Horticulture,  Viticulture,  Agriculture.  .  .  12 

Chapter  III — Educational  Advantages. ...    : 16 

Chapter  IV — Manufacturing    Iri<l.u-3trfes 22 

Chapter  V — Railroads  .• 32 

Chapter  VI — Ecclesiastical  and  Fraternal xi 

580931 


Page. 

Chapter  V'll — Oakland  and  Its  Environs 42 

Chapter  \'III — Alameda  City  and  Township 52 

Chapter  IX — Eden  Township 54 

Chapter  X — Murray  Township 56 

Chapter  XI — Washington  Township 57 

Chapter  XII — Descriptive 59 


-^>'^%<-^- 


Index  to  Illustrations  Indicated  by  Plates. 


Blasdel,  H.  G.  Hon 7 

Crellin,  John  &  Sons 3 

Curtner,  H. : 28 

Crowell,  H 28 

Court  House 15 

Congregational  Church iS 

Concannon,    James 26 

Denison,    E.    S 12 

Deaf,  Dumb  and  Blind  Institutio:;    .  . ; 11 

First  Presbyterian  Church 13 

Hastings,  Frank  S 5 

Hall  of  Records 16 

High  School  Building 25 

Murry,  M.  W 2 

Merrill,  J.  M 6 

Map  of  Alameda  County i 


Nelson,   Charles 14 

Perkins,  Geo.  C 4 

Pacific  Coast  Oil  Co 28 

Piedmont  School  Building 24 

Pickering,  Loring 27 

Shinn,  James '     27 

Solar  Salt  Works 21 

Smith,  J.  P 23 

Schieftelin,  E.  L 26 

St.  Francis  de  Sales  Church 22 

Strobridge,  J.  H 10 

University  of  California 19,  20 

Unitarian  Church 17 

Whipple,  Edwin 8 

Whipple,J.  C 9 


Illustrated  Album  of  Alameda  County. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  great  territory  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
extending  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  was  com- 
paratively unknown  prior  to  the  days  of  1849.  I"  the 
four  decades  since  that  date  this  unknown  territory 
has  been  peopled,  five  great  States  and  two  Territories 
founded.  These  States  and  Territories  are  as  yet 
sparsely  settled  in  comparison  with  the  New  England 
States  and  the  countries  of  the  Old  World,  but  they 
are  dotted  over  with  cities,  towns,  and  villages,  and 
with  farms  and  other  industries,  the  wild  children  of 
the  forests  of  fifty  years  ago  having  disappeared,  most 
of  them  to  the  "  happy  hunting  grounds"  and  the  re- 
mainder on  the  government  reservations.  The  area 
of  this  portion  of  our  land  is  about  seven  hundred 
and  fifty-six  thousand  nine  hundred  square  miles. 
(This  does  not  include  Alaska,  with  its  five  hundred 
and  seventy-eight  thousand  two  hundred  and  four 
square  miles.)  On  the  western  shore  of  this  slope, 
occupying  seven  hundred  miles  out  of  the  twelve  hun- 
dred on  the  shore  line  by  a  width  of  from  two  hun- 
dred to  two  hundred  and  seventy  miles,  lies  California, 
known  as  the  Golden  State.  Its  area  is  one  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty 
square  miles.  It  lies  between  longitude  32°  50'  and 
42°  N.,  and  114°  and  124°  W.  of  latitude.  By 
reason  of  its  peculiar  situation  it  has  the  most  diversi- 
fied climate  of  any  State  in  the  Union,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence its  productions  are  more  varied  than  those  of 
any  other.  It  is  the  second  in  area  of  the  States.  On 
the  line  between  it  and  the  State  of  Nevada  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  it  is  cold  in  the  winter,  with 
snow  and  ice,  while  at  the  foot  of  these  mountains,  and 
between  them  and  the  Pacific  Ocean,  lies  a  very  tem- 
perate and  almost  semi-tropical  extent  of  territory, 
upon  which  the  thermometer  seldom  falls  to  32° 
above  zero.  In  the  greater  part  of  the  State,  the 
heliotrope,  fuchsia,  and  other  plants  of  that  nature, 
as  well  as  the  palms  and  other  ornamental  shrub- 
bery that  are  early  carried  to  the  greenhouses  in 
the  East,  are  allowed  to  grow  out-of-doors  the  en- 
tire winter.  It  is  of  rare  occurrence  that  any  of  them 
are  injured  by  frost,  and  many  persons  born  and  raised 


in  the  State  have  only  once  or  twice  seen  snow  within 
forty  years,  except  in  the  mountain  ranges. 

Of  this  great  State,  Alameda  (pronounced  ala- 
may-dah,  Spanish,  meaning  a  driveway  lined  on 
each  side  by  trees)  County,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  is  a  favorable  part.  Lying  near  the  west- 
ern coast,  but  'yet  far  enough  away  to  escape  the 
sharp  breezes  and  fogs  prevalent  along  the  coast,  it 
has  a  most  equable  and  even  temperature,  protected 
by  remarkable  natural  phenomena.  The  succeeding 
pages  are  designed  to  set  forth  in  a  straightforward 
and  truthful  manner,  without  any  boasting,  the  pecul- 
iar advantages  of  the  county,  and  its  cities  and  towns 
as  places  of  residence,  on  account  of  healthful  climatic 
conditions,  its  resources,  growth,  schools,  railroads, 
etc.  These  are  no  overdrawn  pictures,  but  simply 
statements  of  the  fact. 


CHAPTER    I. 

EARLY  HISTORY  AND   PROGRESS. 

Spanish-American  Missions  of  Alta  California — Jolin  C. 
Fremont,  "The  Pathfinder" — Mexican  War,  Raising  of  the 
Bear  Flag — Cession  of  California,  Finding  of  Gold  and  Ad- 
mission into  the  Union,  etc. — Natural  Advantages — Health 
Statistics  —  Meteorology,  Rainfall,  etc.—  Material  Growth 
— County  Government. 

Alameda  County,  California,  has  a  liistory  dating 
back  to  1797.  During  that  year,  under  Governor 
Diego  de  Borica,  of  the  then  indefinitely  known  Span- 
ish territory  of  Alta  California,  a  settlement  was  made 
in  the  territory  now  embraced  in  this  county  by  two 
friars,  Ysidro  Barcinallo  and  Augustin  Merin,  who, 
on  the  eighteenth  day  of  June,  founded  the  mission  of 
San  Jose,  for  the  purpose  of  converting  the  Indians  of 
the  region  to  the  Roman  Catholic  faith.  An  adobe 
church  was  built,  and  with  it  other  mission  buildings, 
some  of  them  still  standing,  but  which  are  fast  crum- 
bling away,  and  will  soon  disappear  entirely.  The 
mission  prospered  and  grew  rapidly  in  influence,  out- 
stripping the  missions  of  San  Francisco  and  Santa 
Clara.  In  the  year  1822  its  fathers  had  baptized  no 
less  than  four  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  Indians,  and  its  herds  covered  the  hills  in  the  vi- 
cinity by  the  thousands.     In  1839  it  had  upon  its  rolls 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


of  converts  the  names  of  twenty-three  hundred  In- 
dians, and  these  were  then  Hving  in  and  around  the 
mission  house,  tilling  the  lands  and  taking  care  of  the 
herds.  Everything  seemed  prosperous  and  happy  for 
these  simple-minded  people. 

A  few  years  later  came  the  Mexican  War  with  the 
United  States,  the  occupation  and  cession  of  the  terri- 
tory to  the  United  States.  Prior  to  this  was  the  secu- 
larization and  spoliation  of  the  missions,  and  the  decay 
and  death  of  the  mission  brought  with  them  the  de- 
struction of  the  Indians,  through  the  vices  of  civiliza- 
tion, as  in  other  parts  of  the  Union,  until  at  this  time, 
out  of  the  thousands  that  tilled  the  land  and  tended  the 
flocks  for  the  fathers  of  Mission  de  San  Jose,  not  more 
than  half  a  hundred  survive  after  fifty  years.  These 
descendants  have  settled  about  Pleasanton  and  Sufiol, 
and  once  a  year — on  good  Friday — visit  the  old  mis- 
sion of  San  Jose. 

Of  the  land  in  Alameda  County  only  a  small  por- 
tion of  it  ^vas  granted  by  the  Spanish  Government  to 
settlers.  Two  ranches  were  patented,  however,  to 
settlers  under  the  rule  of  Spanish  governors.  Of 
these  the  first  grant  was  by  Governor  Don  Pablo  Vi- 
cente de  Sala,  the  last  of  the  Spanish  line  and  first 
Mexican  governor,  to  Don  Luis  Peralta,  of  the  Rancho 
de  San  Antonio,  five  leagues  in  extent,  being  the  land 
upon  which  the  city  of  Oakland  and  its  suburbs  are 
situated.  This  grant  was  made  in  the  year  1820.  In 
the  following  year  Governor  de  Sala  made  a  grant  to 
the  Rancho  de  las  Tularcitos,  partly  within  the  present 
borders  of  Alameda,  and  partly  within  Santa  Clara 
County.  During  the  twenty-five  years  from  1821  to 
1846  thirty  grants  were  made  by  the  Mexican  gover- 
nors of  Alta  California,  covering  lands  now  within 
the  borders  of  Alameda  County,  principally  given  as 
rewards  for  faithful  military  services  rendered  to  the 
Mexican  Government.  The  boundaries  of  the  grants 
were  so  indefinite  that  for  many  years  after  passing 
into  American  occupation,  much  litigation  was  neces- 
sary to  determine  the  metes  and  bounds,  but  happily 
these  are  all  now  settled,  and  the  boundaries  definitely 
fixed.  The  last  great  suit  was  that  of  the  Rancho  el 
Sobrante,  covering  eleven  square  leagues  of  land, 
granted  in  1841  to  Juan  Jose  Castro  by  Governor  Al- 
verado.  The  larger  part  of  this  rancho  is  now  within 
the  borders  of  Contra  Costa  County,  of  which  Ala- 
meda County  was,  for  a  time,  a  part.  Prior  to  the 
American  occupation  and  cession  to  the  United  States 
of  California,  only  one  grant  of  land  was  made  in  the 
present  boundaries  of  Alameda  County  by  the  Mexi- 
can authorities  to  a  foreigner,  and  that  was  the  rancho 
of  Las  Juntas,  three  square  leagues,  in  the  year  1844, 
to  William  Welch. 


This  brief  resume  of  the  history  of  Alameda  County 
would  not  be  complete  without  a  reference  to  the  late 
General  John  C.  Fremont,  the  "Pathfinder."  Repassed 
through  the  county  in  1846,  with  a  party  of  forty-two 
men,  on  his  way  to  Oregon.  He  obtained  permission 
from  Governor  Castro  to  pass  through,  but  the  per- 
mission was  recalled  before  the  start  was  made.  Lieu- 
tenant Fremont  disregarded  the  recall,  however,  and 
passed  by  Mission  de  San  Jose  and  Alameda  Canon, 
near  Niles,  and  camped  at  the  lagoon  in  the  valley  be- 
tween the  present  sites  of  Suiiol  and  Pleasanton.  The 
Mexicans  immediately  followed  him,  and  from  the 
Klamath  Lakes  he  turned  back  and  retraced  his  way 
to  meet  the  Mexican  forces  upon  his  trail.  When  he 
reached  Sonoma,  he  found  that  the  "  Bear  flag"  had 
been  raised  there  and  California  declared  independent. 
Here  he  learned  that  war  had  been  declared  by  the 
United  States  against  Mexico,  and  that  Commodore 
Sioat  had  seized  Monterey.  Fremont  raised  a  force 
of  volunteers,  and,  driving  the  Mexicans  before  him  up 
the  valley  of  the  San  Ramon  and  down  the  valley  of 
the  Amador,  he  stripped  Jose  Maria  Amador,  and 
drove  out  all  the  armed  forces  of  Mexicans  from  Ala- 
meda County  toward  the  south. 

After  this  expedition  of  Fremont  through  Alameda 
County  a  number  of  American  families  settled  upon 
the  rich  lands  of  the  county,  and  their  descendants  are 
still  upon  them.  Prior  to  that  time  the  only  non- 
Mexican  resident  within  the  present  limits  of  Alameda 
County  was  an  English  whaler  named  Joseph  Liver- 
more,  who  had  settled  upon  the  Las  Positas  Rancho, 
and  in  whose  honor  the  town  of  Livermore,  the  pass, 
and  valley  are  named. 

On  the  discovery  of  gold  by  Marshall,  at  Coloma, 
January  19,  1848,  there  was  a  rush  for  the  diggings, 
and  one  of  the  principal  highways  lay  across  Alameda 
County  through  the  Alameda  Canon,  via  Sunol,  the 
Livermore  Valley,  and  Livermore  Pass,  to  Stockton. 
Where  Friars  Barcinallo  and  Merin  started  the 
early  missions — Mission  San  Jose — a  good-sized  town 
sprang  up,  making  it  really  the  first  American  settle- 
ment in  Alameda  County,  as  it  had  been  the  first 
Spanish.  The  town  still  exists,  though  the  bulk  of 
the  population  has  drifted  down  nearer  the  bay,  but 
the  old  mission  is  still  the  center  of  a  very  fertile  dis- 
trict. A  number  of  other  towns  have  also  sprung  up 
adjacent  to  it,  among  them  Irvington,  Niles,  Center- 
ville  and  Warm  Springs. 

The  foregoing  pertains  to  Alameda  County  princi- 
pally while  under  Spanish  and  Mexican  rule.  After 
the  close  of  the  war  with  Mexico  and  the  cession  of 
the  Territory  of  Alta  California  to  the  United  States, 
the  first  Territorial  Legislature  convened  at  San  Jose, 


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ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


December  13,  1849,  and  at  the  session,  the  Territory 
was  divided  into  twenty-seven  great  counties.  Of 
these  Contra  Costa  embraced  the  territory  now  in- 
cluded in  its  boundaries  as  well  as  a  large  part  of  that 
now  known  as  Alameda  County.  On  September  9, 
1 850,  California  was  admitted  to  the  Union  as  one  of  the 
States  of  the  great  federation,  and  the  subsequent  Leg- 
islatures divided  up  the  immense  counties  into  smaller 

.  ones.  In  1853  the  Legislature  created  the  county  of 
Alameda,  with  its  present  bounds,  taking  it  off  Contra 
Costa  County,  as  well  as  a  portion  of  the  northerly 
end  of  Santa  Clara  County.  At  that  time  it  had  a 
population  of  three  thousand,  and  the  county  seat  was 
New  Haven,  now  Alvarado.  In  December,  1854,  the 
county  seat  was  removed  to  San  Leandro,  by  a  major- 
ity vote,  but  it  was  ordered  back  to  New  Haven  on 
account  of  informality  in  the  election.  In  1856,  by 
an  act  of  the  Legislature,  it  went  back  to  San  Lean- 
dro. San  Leandro  continued  to  be  the  county  seat 
until  1873,  when,  after  a  bitter  contest,  it  was  removed 
to  Oakland.  The  old  Court  House  building  is  stand- 
ing on  East  Fourteenth  street  and  Nineteenth  avenue, 
though  now  remodeled  and  used  as  a  dwelling.  In 
1874  new  buildings  down  town  on  blocks. on  Broad- 
way, between  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets,  were  occupied, 
which  are  still  in  use,  though  now  becoming  inadequate 
for  the  present  needs  of  the  county.  Plates  of  these 
buildings  are  shown,  Nos.  15  and  16.  The  majority  of 
the  county  offices  occupy  the  Hall  of  Records,  in  the 
block  facing  the  Court  House,  across  Broadway.  In  the 
Court  House  are  now  situated  four  court  rooms,  the 
county  supervisors'  rooms,  the  offices  of  the  county 
assessor,  tax  collector,  surveyor,  district  attorney  and 
sheriff,  and  the  rooms  of  the  law  library.  The  court 
business  of  the  county  has  so  increased  tliat  it  was 
necessary  for  the  establishment  recently  of  one  more 
department,  and  the  occupation  of  the  entire  building 
by  the  courts  and  court  ohicers  is  only  the  question  of 
a  short  time. 

After  the  admission  of  California  into  the  Union,  in 
1850,  Alameda  County  commenced  its -rapid  growth 
and  prosperity.  Lying  in  the  way  of  travel  from  the 
metropolis — San  Francisco — to  the  interior  of  the 
State,  towns  and  villages  sprang  up  along  the  routes 
traversed,  and  finally  spread  entirely  over  it.  Early  in 
1850  the  manufacture  of  salt  was  commenced,  and  for 
many  years  the  entire  State  depended  upon  it  for  its 
saline  supply.  Until  quite  recently  Alameda  was 
the  only  county  in  the  State  of  California  in  which 
salt  was  manufactured.     It  was   also    the  pioneer    in 

the  erection  of  flouring  mills,  agricultural  and  farm- 
ing implement  factories,  and  tanneries.  The  first 
smelting  works  for  the  reduction  of  rebellious  ores  in 


the  State  were  erected  in  this  count)^  In  1853  the 
culture  of  fruit,  the  principal  industry  in  several  of  the 
counties  in  the  State,  received  its  commencement  by 
the  clubbing  together  of  a  number  of  Alameda  County  * 
farmers  and  sending  one  of  their  number  East  for 
trees,  making  the  county  early  the  seat  of  fruit  culture, 
for  which  it  has  since  become  noted.  In  this  county, 
at  Alvarado,  in  1869,  was  erected  the  first  mill  and  re- 
finery in  the  United  States  for  the  manufactm-e  of 
sugar  from  beets.  The  factory  has  been  enlarged  and 
now  does  a  large  and  profitable  business  in  sugar 
manufacturing.  The  factory  and  process  of  extracting 
the  sugar  is  elsewhere  specifically  described  in  this 
pamphlet.  There  are  also  in  the  county  many  other 
manufacturing  industries,  such  as  iron  foundries,  nail 
works,  car  works,  bridge  works,  smelting  works,  agri- 
cultural machinery  works,  soap  works,  fuse  works, 
borax  refinery,  tile  factories,  etc.,  cotton  and  jute 
mills,  planing  mills,  flouring  mills,  and  many  others 
which  are  mentioned  in  detail  in  these  pages. 


TOPOGRAPHY   OF   THE   COUNTY. 

Natural    Advantages  — Fertility —  Freedom    from     Fogs    and 
Causes. 

The  area  of  Alameda  Count)^,  while  small  in  com- 
parison with  some  other  of  the  counties  in  California, 
comprises  four  hundred  and  fifty-four  thousand  five 
hundred  and  sixty-five  acres,  and  upward  of  seven 
hundred  square  miles.  Its  topography  is  broken  in 
its  northern  and  eastern  sides  by  hills  and  valleys  of 
the  Contra  Costa  range,  the  highest  peak  of  which  is 
that  of  Mission  San  Jose,  rising  two  thousand  two 
hundred  and  seventy-three  feet  above  sea  level. 
Among  these  hills  are  some  of  the  most  fertile  valleys 
of  the  State  and  continent.  The  largest  of  these  is 
the  Livermore  Valley.  Others  of  the  larger  valleys 
are  the  Moraga,  Suflol,  Castro,  Amador,  and  Calaveras. 
The  western  portion  of  the  county  lies  along  the  east- 
ern shor-e  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  for  thirty-six 
miles,  and  in  coves  along  the  shore  are  found  the 
oyster  beds  from  whence  were  taken  the  bivalves 
in  the  exhibit.  Between  the  foothills  of  the  range 
named  and  this  bay  shore  lies  a  fertile  plain  from  five 
to  twelve  miles  wide,  the  hills  in  no  place  south  of 
Berkeley  being  nearer  than  five  miles.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  a  few  salt  marshes  along  the  shore  line,  the 
land  between  it  and  the  foothills  consists  of  a  rich  al- 
luvial soil,  adapted  to  horticulture  and  agriculture,  and 
upon  which  are  grown  the  fine  deciduous  and  citrus 
fruits  as  well  as  the  vegetable  and  agricultural  prod- 
ucts in  the  Alameda  County  exhibit.  In  time  the 
marshes  mentioned  will  undoubtedly  be  filled  in  and 
become    productive   lands,    bordering    on    the    small 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM   OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


streams  which  flow  throug-h   them   into  the  ba}'  from 
the  foothills. 

In' the  fertile  valleys  in  the  foothills  of  the  eastern 
portion  are  grown  many  of  the  various  fruits,  both 
deciduous  and  citrus,  shown  in  the  county  exhibit, 
while  on  the  hillsides  and  in  these  valleys  are  produced 
the  different  varieties  of  grapes  for  table  and  the  man- 
ufacture of  wines  and  brandies.  There  is  a  large  area 
applicable  in  these  valleys  and  on  these  hills,  that  has 
not  yet  been  opened  up  and  set  out  in  vines  and  fruit 
trees.  They  are  generally  easy  of  access.  In  these 
vallex's  in  "the  hills  the  almond  and  English  wal- 
nut thrive  well  and  hundreds  of  acres  of  them  are  now 
in  bearing,  the  products  finding  their  way  to  the 
Eastern  States.  The  hills  are  usually  rolling  and  easy 
to  traverse,  the  valleys  being  ea.sy  of  access.  There 
are  numerous  little  streams  watering  the  county  and 
rendering  it  fertile,  the  largest  being  Alameda  Creek. 
The  county  is  bounded  upon  the  north  by  Contra 
Costa  County,  of  which  it  was  at  one  time  a  part,  and 
on  the  east  by  San  Joaquin  County,  and  on  the  south 
by  Sa'nta  Clara,  west  by  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  In 
shape  upon  the  map'  it  is  very  much  like  a  boot,  with 
the  sole  toward  the  west  and  the  toe  pointing  north. 

CLIMATE. 

In  referring  to  the  advantages  of  Alameda  County 
as  a  place  of  residence  by  reason  of  its  topographical 
situation  and  climatic  superiority,  the  following  from 
the  pen  of  Ex-Mayor  William  R.  Davis,  of  Oakland, 
with  the  accompanying  diagram  showing  the  air  cur- 
rents and  causes  for  non-prevalence  of  fogs,  common 
at  certain  seasons  on  the  seacoast,  written  for  the 
Oakland  Trib2tne,  is  applicable  and  pertinent,  and  is 
by  permission  published  here: — 

CLIMATE     AND    AIR     MOVEMENT     IN    ALAMEDA    COUNTY 

THE   WHY. 

"No  stranger  realizes,  and  few  residents  understand, 
how  Oakland  and  Alameda  County  have  such  an 
equable  and  delightful  climate,  compared  with  that  of 
San  Francisco,  although  Oakland  is  only  six  or  eight 
miles,  just  across  the  bay,  east  of  San  F'ranci.sco. 

"On  the  opposite  page  is  a  diagram,which,with  a  few 
words  of  introduction,  will  at  once  speak  familiarly  to 
the  reader.  To  the'  westward  of  us,  some  twelve  or 
fourteen  miles,  is  the  Pacific  Ocean,  beating  against  the 
feet  of  the  first  row  of  Coast  Range  hills.  The  Golden 
Gite  is  a  pass  through  this  first  row  of  hills,  being 
about  six  miles  long  and  over  a  mile  wide.  The  Bay 
of  San  Francisco  and  the  ocean  connect  through  this 
channel  or  gate.  At  the  inner  or  eastern  end  of  this 
channel  the  western  bay  shore  lines  turn  northward 
and  southward,  substantially  parallel  with  the  ocean 
shore  line,  San  Francisco  being  on  the  northea.stern 


corner  of  the  peninsula,  south  of  the  Golden  Gate,  and 
between  the  ocean  and  the  bay.  This  peninsula  is  of 
about  the  same  width,  from  bay  to  ocean,  as  the  dis- 
tance eastward  from  San  Francisco  across  the  bay  to 
Oakland — say  six  miles.  On  the  Oakland  side  the 
land  rises  from  the  bay  level,  on  the  gentlest  slope, 
back  to  the  second  row  of  Coast  Range  hills.  This 
slope  extends  from  Berkeley  on  the  north  (a  city  of 
eight  thousand  inhabitants,  where  the  University  of 
California  is  located)  down  in  a  southeasterly  direction 
to  and  far  beyond  the  Alameda  and  Santa  Clara 
County  line.  The  soil  of  this  slope  is  generally  a 
warm,  sandy  loam,  fertile,  and  easy  of  cultivation,  and 
now  produces  almost  every  berry,  fruit,  plant,  tree, 
cereal,  vegetable,  shrub,  and  flower  grown  from  Ore- 
gon to  Arizona.  From  Berkeley  on  the  north  to  the 
county  line  on  the  south  is  about  thirty-five  miles. 
This  slope  varies  in  width  from  three  miles  on  the 
northern  end  to  more  than  thrice  that  width  as  you 
proceed  southward.  At  Oakland  its  width  is  approxi- 
matelj'  five  miles. 

"The  elevation  of  this  slope,  before  reaching  the 
rolling  foothills,  is  in  the  body  of  the  city  from  twenty 
to  forty  feet  above  the  tide  level.  The  eastern  part  of 
Oakland  is  upon  the  rising  ground  of  the  foothills. 
The  two  rows  of  coast  hills  above  mentioned  run 
nearly  parallel,  from  southeast  to  northwest,  and  both 
lie  substantially  at  right  angles  to  the  route  of  the 
trade  winds  or  prevailing  sea  breeze,  coming  off  the  ' 
ocean  from  the  southwest,  during  the  summer  and 
fall  months — from  about  the  latter  part  of  May  to  the 
middle  of  September.  We  are  now  ready  to  proceed 
to  the  consideration  of  the  matter,  the  importance  of 
which  cannot  be  overestimated.  Taken  with  the  con- 
ceded advantages  of  location,  transit,  educational  in- 
stitutions, good  order,  freedom  from  debt,  wealth, 
resources,  and  soil,  it  makes  Oakland  the  most  desira- 
ble spot  for  habitation  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  If  the 
point  is  n.ew,  that  will  not  detract  from  its  importance. 

"Let  us  now  look  at  the  diagram  on  the  next  page. 

"  The  arrows  sIktm  the  course  of  the  sea  breeze.  The 
profile  at  the  bottom  of  the  diagram  shows  substan- 
tially the  hill  obstruction  which  the  sea  breeze  en- 
counters in  its  northeasterly  course.  (I  need  scarcely 
mention  that  the  summer  heat  of  the  interior  land 
surface,  lying  to  the  eastward,  rarifies  and  raises  the 
atmosphere  there  and  draws  in  the  cooler  atmosphere 
from  the  adjacent  ocean,  just  as  heated  air  over  the 
fire  rises  in  the  chimney  and  draws  in  the  cooler  air 
from  about  the  fireplace.) 

"Now  follow  the  arrows.  Commencing  at  the 
ocean,  the  ocean  breeze  (bearing  much  or  little  fog) 
literally  bumps  against  and  rises  above  the  first  row 


RESIDEf^CE  OP  N{.W.W[\JRRY.     Jfi 


PLATE   2. 


i50H  AND  IAKE   5T5.   OAKLAND. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


of  coast  hills.  These  hills  are,  say,  four  hundred  feet 
high  south  of  the  Golden  Gate,  and  twice  that  height 
north  of  the  Golden  Gate.  This  pitches  the  general 
breeze  four  hundred  to  eight  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea  level  in  its  flight  inland.  It  has  then  only  from 
ten  to' fourteen  miles  to  go  until  it  would  encounter 
the  second  row  of  coast  hills.  This  second  row  is 
substantially  twice  as  high  as  the  first.  The  result 
and  the  fact  are  that  the  general  ocean  breeze  cannot 
and  does  not  descend  in  its  course  anywhere  near  the 
water  level  between  these  two  rows  of  hills.  Being 
pitched  up  by  range  number  one,  it  bears  its  moisture 
and  maintains   its   course  high  enough   to   pass   over 


-Rov-ftoT  cSt'^  Bi^LZE.   i^r  OP)KJ-.^/ad    Ct^Iw 


and  up  on  the  top  of  range  number  two.  The  fog 
clouds,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  scrape  the  top  of  the  second 
row  of  hills  and  then  pass  on  northeastward.  This 
leaves  Oakland  and  the  slope  of  which  I  have  spoken 
in  a  triangle.  Consider  the  triangle  standing  vertically. 
The  hill  barrier  to  the  east  would  lie  behind  the  im- 
aginary upright  line  of  the  triangle;  the  land  slope 
would  be  its  base  line,  and  the  path  of  the  ocean 
breeze  would  be  the  upper  line  of  the  triangle,  or  its 
hypothenuse.  In  this  triangle  the  air  is  free  from  fog, 
and  moves  gently  eastward  with  just  enough  motion, 
bracing  coolness,  and  refreshing  stimulus  to  make  the 
temperature  delightful,  life  comfortable,  and  healthful- 
ness  certain.     No  sanitary  department   elsewhere  can 


ever  do  for  any  city  what  Nature  is  steadily  doing  for 
the  city  of  Oakland  and  vicinity.  The  fog  clouds  pass 
overhead  at  an  elevation  of  from  five  hundred  to  two 
thousand  feet.  This  is  nature's  sunshade,  catching  the 
rays  of  the  summer  sun  and  casting  cool  and  grateful 
shadows  on  the  land  surface  below,  whilst  it  leaves 
that  surface  free  from  wind  and  dampness.  There 
is  a  horizontal  triangle  of  protection  also.  At  the 
Golden  Gate  this  sea  breeze  can  and  does  come  in  on 
the  water  level ;  but  by  reason  of  the  conformation  of 
the  hills,  this  tongue  of  wind  becomes  forked — one 
part  traveling  northward  and  the  other  to  tlTe  south- 
east. The  small  arrows  show  the  course  and  divisions 
of  this  lesser  current.  One  part  bears 
northward  around  the  point  of  hills  north 
of  Berkeley;  the  other  bears  southeast 
down  the  bay.  The  former  is  quite  strong, 
the  latter  rather  weak.  The  reason  for  this 
is  clear;  the  former  runs  in  the  direction  of 
the  prevailing  sea  breeze  overhead,  and 
hence  maintains  its  velocity;  the  latter 
turns  down  the  bay,  almost  at  right  angles 
with  the  general  over  current,  and  hence 
its  force  is  dissipated  and  weakened.  This 
forking  of  the  Golden  Gate  current  leaves 
Oakland  again  in  the  triangle  of  repose. 
Of  this  horizontal  triangle  the  base  is  at 
the  hills  to  the  eastward,  and  the  other  two 
sides  are  the  two  forks  of  the  Golden  Gate's 
current  of  wind.  For  these  reasons,  con- 
sidering these  two  triangles,  I  think  I  may 
justly  say  Oakland  is  in  the  triangle  of 
peace.  Under  these  circumstances  it  is 
not  strange  that  strangers  do  not  realize 
the  fact  that  there  is  such  a  marked  differ- 
ence between  the  climate  of  .San  Francisco 
and  that  of  Oakland.  I  believe  these  tri- 
angles furnish  the  solution  of  the  question. 
On  this  point,  too,  there  is  a  singular  little 
fact  well  worth  considering.  That  is  this: 
When  water  runs  out  of  a  waterspout  or  trough,  if 
the  trough  is  uneven  on  the  under  side,  some  water 
drips  or  curls  mider,  while  the  main  stream  goes 
ahead.     Just  so  in  this  case. 

"The  general  front  of  the  fog-bearing  sea  breeze 
bumps  against  and  rises  over  the  uneven  top  of  the 
San  Francisco  hills;  a  little  of  the  wind  curls  under 
at  the  uneven  summit  of  the  first  row  of  hills,  and 
bears  down  on  San  Francisco.  But  this  curling  down 
of  the  cloud  current  goes  no  further  practically.  This 
curling  down  and  the  two  triangles  of  repose  account, 
in  my  judgment,  for  the  phenomenal  fact  that  Oak- 
land, only  six  or  eight  miles  from  San  Francisco,  has 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM   OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


a  climate  so  much  more  benignant,  and  as  different  as 
though  the  two  cities  were  a  hundred  miles  apart. 

"The  views  here  given  will  account  for  the  follow- 
ing facts:  (tj  Why  a  stiff  summer  sea  breeze  bears 
down  in  the  streets  of  San  Francisco;  (2)  why  that 
wind  brings  fog  down  with  it  to  the  land  surface 
there;  (3)  why  the  waves  on  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco 
run  higher  on  a  line  extending  northeasterly  from  the 
inner  face  of  the  Golden  Gate  than  elsewhere;  (4) 
why  the  summer  wind  is  strong  across  San  Pablo  Bay 
and  up  the  Straits  of  Carquinez ;  (5)  why  Oakland 
has  absolutely  no  fog  down  in  her  streets  when  it  is 
down  on  the  west  side  of  the  bay;  (6)  why  there  is  no 
surface  trade  wind  at  Oakland ;  and  (7)  why  the  fogs 
of  the  San  Francisco  peninsula  become  grateful  clouds 
over  Oakland  and  vicinity. 

"The  environments  of  the  slope  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  duplicate  those  of  Athens, 
whicli-  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  Oakland  is  designated 
the  Athens  of  the  Pacific.  This  is  not  a  fanciful,  but 
a  real  resemblance.  The  hills  about  Athens  and  also 
the  Grecian  archipelago  are  one  with  the  hills  and  bays 
here.  The  clouds,  the  temperature,  the  sky,  the 
breeze,  the  landscape,  the  half-shadowed  countr\-,  are 
substantially  the  counterpart  of  ancient  Greece. 
Whenever  the  Creator  casts  a  kindly  handful  of  sun- 
beams on  old  Greece,  he,  next  morning,  casts  gently 
another  handful  over  the  new  Greece — this  Athenian 
slope. 

"This  slope  is  well  watered  and  has  an  abundant 
rainfall  every  season.  Such  a  thing  as  drought  or  ir- 
rigation upon  it  was  never  dreamed  of,  and  will  never 
be  necessary.  So  fertila  is  this  soil  from  Berkeley 
down  to  the  county  line  that  trees,  flowers,  and 
shrubs  planted  and  properly  tended,  as,  for  e.xample, 
about  a  new  house,  will  at  the  end  of  the  second  or 
third  season  make  the  spot  look  as  if  it  had  been  oc- 
cupied and  cultivated  ten  years.  I  have  seen  this  ac- 
tual result  in  almost  numberless  cases  in  and  about 
Oakland.  The  heliotrope  and  fuchsia  grow  outdoors 
in  Alameda  County  without  so  much  as  the  shelter  of 
a  newspaper  or  sheet  throughout  the  winter,  and  fre- 
quently attain  a  height  of  from  eight  to  twelve  feet. 
Geraniums  thrive  side  by  side  with  the  heliotrope  and 
fuchsia,  and  often  reach  a  height  of  from  six  to  ten 
feet.  This  slope  is  the  paradise  of  flower  and  tree  life 
as  well  as  of  animal  and  human  existence.  The  aver- 
age annual  variation  in  temperature  at  Oakland  be- 
tween summer  and  winter  temperatures — taking  the 
average  temperature  of  the  months  including  winter 
and  those  including  summer — is  only  eight  degrees. 
Upon  this  inviting  slope  the  most  exacting  and  pains- 
taking home  seekers,  old  Pacific  Coast  residents  who 


know  the  entire  coast,  have  been  and  are  now  locating 
their  homes.  The  stranger,  not  knowing  the  relative 
merits  of  different  localities,  may  be  satisfied  with  a 
better  country  than  his,  though  not  the  best;  but  the 
old  resident  (from  Washington  Territory,  Oregon, 
Nevada,  and  California)  knows  that  the  garden  spot, 
the  paradise  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  is  upon  the  slopes 
and  in  the  valleys  about  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco. 

"  On  this  slope  there  are  no  less  than  thirteeji  towns 
and  cities  north  of  the  Santa  Clara  County  line — 
Berkeley,  Temescal,  Oakland,  Alameda,  San  Leandro, 
San  Lorenzo,  Hayward,  Niles,  Alvarado,  Newark,  Cen- 
terville,  Irvington,  and  Mission  San  Jose.  Of  these  the 
principal  ones  are:  Oakland,  sixty  thousand;  Alameda, 
twehe  thousand,  and  Berkeley,  eight  thousand — say, 
eight)'  thousand  inhabitants  in  these  three  cities.  The 
other  towns  and  the  intervening  p'opulation  include 
substantially  twent\'-five  thousand  people.  So  that, 
e.Kcluding  San  Francisco,  this  slope  is  at  once  the 
center  of  the  ^tate  and  of  its  population." 

The  population  of  the  entire  county  is  now  at  least 
one  hundred  thousand.  It  is  increasing  annually  by 
fifteen  thousand.  This  means  a  population  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thou.sand  in  ten  years,  without  anj-  spe- 
cial additional  causes  contributing.  But  whate\'er  else 
happens,  incoming  railroads,  completion  of  the  harbor, 
more  active  development  of  manufactories — any  or  all 
these  are  bound  to  accelerate  the  increase  beyond  that 
now  going  on.  The  surest  count}'  in  California  is 
Alameda. 


HEALTH  ADVANTAGES. 

Low  Deatti  Rate  and  Exceptional  Freedom  from  Sickness — 
Statistics  of  Oakland,  Alameda,  Berkeley,  etc. 

The  topographical  situation  and  the  natural  condi- 
tions and  phenomenapreviously  mentioned,  contribute 
to  make  Alameda  County  and  its  cities  and  towns,  es- 
pecially Oakland,  Alameda,  and  Berkeley,  and  their 
suburbs,  unexcelled  for  good  health.  One  of  the  rriost 
important  of  these  natural  conditions  is  the  daily  after- 
noon breezes  that  sweep  over  the  county  from  the 
Pacific  Ocean  in  the  summer  and  autumn  seasons. 
These  are  so  tempered  and  modified  by  the  distance 
from  the  ocean  and  the  conformation  of  the  land  that 
they  are  mild  and  bracing  and  yet  are  sufficiently 
strong  to  cany  away  any  noxious  or  poisonous  gases 
that  may  arise  from  sewerage  or  decomposing  sub- 
stances. The  same  peculiarities  of  coast  conforma- 
tion serve  also  to  carry  the  fog  prevalent  along  the 
coast  away,  so  that  it  seldom  settles  down  upon  the 
eastern  side  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  because  on 
striking  the  hills  along  the  ocean  coast,  it  is  driven 


t^^^- 


r^^-»A-V^ 


RUbV  FjILlVijSEYARD  propertVof  JOHf^  ( 


PLATE  3. 


IL&LLI  [S!  5;  50f^5.,  LiV£R.|vioRE- Valley  Ai^!vied/\  ^o. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


upward  and  over  the  bay  at  considerable  height  and 
strikes  the  Contra  Costa  Range.  That  portion  of  it 
coming  in  at  the  Golden  Gate  is  driven  along  by  the  - 
breezes  accompanying  to  the  Straits  of  Carquinez  and 
San  Pablo  Bay.  While  the  immediate  coast  from 
Point  Reyes  to  Santa  Cruz  may  be  enveloped  in  fog, 
Oakland,  Alameda,  and  Berkeley  and  adjoining  towns 
of  Alameda  County,  are  in  sunshine  or  maybe  in  par- 
tial shadow  from  the  fog  clouds  passing  several  hun- 
dred feet  overhead. 

Being  thus  favored  by  nature,  it  is  no  wonder  that 
the  health  of  the  community  is  exceptionally  good,  as 
is  shown  by  the  statistics,  taken  fi'om  the  official 
records  of  the  health  offices. 

The  average  death  rate  of  Oakland  for  the  past  ten 
years  shows  an  annual  percentage  of  13.57  P^''  1,000. 
The  following  is  the  rate  per  year  from  July  i  to 
June  30: — 

For  1882  and  '83,  13.66;    1883-84,  13.92;  1884-85, 
12.72;  1885-86,  13.22;  1886-87,12.36;  1887-88,15.03; 
1888-89,  14.82;  1889-90.  13.43;  1890-91,  12.80;  1 89 1 
—92,  13.86. 

The  records  of  the  health  office  show  that  during 
the  past  eight  years  five  hundred  and  sixty-four  per- 
sons have  died  from  pulmonary  diseases.  Of  these 
two  hundred  and  seven  had  resided  in  Oakland  more 
than  ten  years;  sixty-six  died  of  whom  the  time  of 
residence  is  not  given;  ninety-nine  resided  between 
five  and  ten  years ;  twenty  had  lived  here  five  years ; 
sixty-eight,  between  threeand  four  years;  thirty-eight, 
two  years ;  seventy-one,  between  six  months  and  one 
year;  fourteen,  six  months;  eleven,  five  months;  fifteen, 
four  months;  thirteen,  three  months;  nineteen,  two 
months;  nine,  one  month,  and  thirty-one,  less  than  one 
month.  This  shows  that  very  few,  if  any,  of  the  deaths 
from  consumption  occurred  among  the  old  residents 
of  the  county,  while  hundreds  of  cases  are  known  in 
which  persons  with  weak  lungs  have  entirely  recov- 
ered. 

The  records  of  the  health  office  of  Alameda  City 
show  a  lower  death  rate  than  that  of  any  other  city  on 
the  Pacific  Coast,  and  in  fact  it  is  claimed  by  the  health 
authorities,  lower  than  any  other  city  in  the  United 
States.  It  claims  to  have  the  most  perfect  sewer  sys- 
tem, with  appliances  for  continuous  flushing,  in  use 
anywhere  in  the  world,  and  that  this  tends  to  the  bet- 
ter health  of  its  citizens.  The  death  rate  is  about  1 1 
per  1,000. 

The  town  of  Berkeley, with  its  8,000  inhabitants,  has 
as  yet  not  fully  organized  a  board  of  health,  though  it 
has  a  health  officer  acting  under  instructions  of  its 
town  trustees.  The  records  of  its  health  statistics  are 
not  complete  and  could  not  be  accurately  ascertained. 


The  death  rate  is,  however,  about  the  same  as  that  of 
Oakland,  being  14.97  per  1,000  per  annum.  A  com- 
plete system  of  sewerage  is  under  contemplation. 

The  interior  towns  of  San  Leandro,  Flaywards, 
Niles,  Livermore,  Pleasanton,  Irvington,  Newark,  Al- 
varado,  Centerville,  etc.,  while  without  boards  of  health, 
show  by  the  records  of  death  as  published  in  their 
newspapers  an  exceedingly  low  death  rate  in  compar- 
ison with  those  of  other  parts  of  the  United  States. 

ST.  Mary's  college. 
One  of  the  largest  educational  institutions  in  Ala- 
meda County  is  that  of  St.  Mary's  College,  occupying 
a  block  of  seven  acres  in  North  Oakland,  fronting  on 
New  Broadway.  St.  Mary's  was  founded  by  Arch- 
bishop Alemany,  of  San  Francisco,  in  1863,  and  was 
conducted  by  the  priests  of  the  diocese  on  the  out- 
skirts of  South  San  Francisco  until  1868,  when  the 
management  was  transferred  to  the  order  of  Christian 
Brothers.  In  1872  the  college  was  empowered  to 
confer  academic  honors.  In  1887-88  a  new  and  en- 
larged building  was  erected  in  Oakland,  and  the  school 
was  transferred  to  it  in  1889.  The  faculty  consists  of 
eighteen  professors  and  instructors,  who  devote  their 
entire  time  to  the  school.  The  studies  are  divided 
into  two  departments,  collegiate  (classical  and  scien- 
tific) and  commercial.  There  is  also  a  preparatory 
department  with  four  grades.  The  building  is  190 
feet  frontage  with  wings  of  150  feet.  It  is  five  stories 
high,  is  furnished  with  elevators  and  all  modern  im- 
provements. A  model  of  this  building  and  a  special 
display  of  the  work  of  the  students  of  this  college  is 
exhibited  at  the  Columbian  E.xposition  in  the  Educa- 
tional Department. 

METEOROLOGY,  TEMPERATURE  AND  RAINFALL. 

•  The  temperature  of  the  western  shore  of  California 
for  many  miles  inland  is  affected  by  the  warm  current 
in  the  Pacific  Ocean  known  as  the  Japan  stream.  The 
topography  also  affects  the  temperature  and  the  rain- 
fall. Along  the  coast  the  rainfall  in  some  localities 
reaches  50  to  75  inches  during  the  season,  while  in 
others  the  mean  average  runs  from  20  to  30  inches. 
The  average  difference  of  annual  rainfall  in  the  State 
of  California  extending  from  northwest  to  southeast  is 
a  little  over  two  inches  for  every  degree,  and  the 
meteorological  records  for  a  number  of  years  show 
that  the  increase  in  rainfall  is  about  one  inch  for  every 
100  feet  in  elevation  in  ascending  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains.  There  is  more  rain  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  State,  and  a  gradual  decrease  towards  the  south. 
People  living  at  the  East  who  have  never  visited  Cali- 
fornia, who  read  of  many  feet  of  snow  at  Truckee  or 
Bodie,  California,  are  inclined  to  think  all  of  California 


lO 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


is  under  snow.  The  fact  is  that  the  points  in  this 
State  where  snow  is  measured  by  the  feet  are  located 
at  an  altitude  greater  than  Mount  Washington,  and 
while  there  may  be  eighteen  feet  of  snow  at  the  Sum- 
mit in  Nevada  County  and  at  Truckee  at  an  elevation 
of  7,000  feet,  the  orange  trees  eighty  miles  nearer  the 
Pacific  Ocean  are  laden  with  fruit.  Alameda  Count\- 
lies  west  of  the  cold  zone,  south  of  the  heavy  rain 
belts  of  the  northern  coast,  and  yet  is  north  of  the  dry 
belt  of  the  southern  coast. 

The  following  tables  show  the  rainfall  in  inches  for 
the  seasons  of  1881-82  and  1891-92  inclusive,  and  the 
mean  annual  rainfall  for  the  eleven  years,  the  temper- 
ature for  the  same  time  and  that  of  the  seasons,  as  well 
as  the  relative  humidity,  etc.,  for  the  past  year: 


In  onl)'  two  years  has  the  average  temperature  of 
the  months  ranged  over  14  degrees,  and  that  its  mean 
-range  is  not  quite  I2j4  degrees. 


MEAN    TEMPEK.\TURE 


)i-92- 


Mean  temperature  of  winter 53-1° 

Mean  temperature  of  spring 54o8 

Mean  temperature  of  summer 62.03 

Mean  temperature  of  autumn .....57.09 

Difference   between  the  coldest  and   warmest  of  spring 

months 2.07 

Difference  between  the  coldest  and  warmest  of  summer 

months  3-34 

Difference  between  the   coldest  and  warmest  of  autumn 

months '•••  5-°8 

Difference  between   the  coldest  and   warmest  of  winter 

months ^-^9 

Difference  between  the  coldest  and  warmest  months  of 

the  year ^3-55 


KAINF.ALL    IN    INCHES    FOR    YEARS    AND    MONTHS    I881-92 


Months. 


July 

August 

September 

October 

November.. 
December .. 
January  .... 
February  ... 

March 

April 

May 

June  


Totals 


.40 
.82 
1.49 
5-09 
2.42 
2.05 
4.2c 
I-5I 
■15 


18.13 


64 


1882-83 

o  I  a 


■42 
2.65 

4-33 
1. 14 
1-95 
.70 

3-33 
2.20 
3-50 


1883-84 

O  I  D 


1884-85 
iO  I  c 


1. 00 
I.03I 

.90} 
1. 15; 

3.81: 

5-25! 
8.59 

5-79 

•55 

3-03 

31-10 


.26 

-35 

2.80 

.05' 

7-73 
1.92 
.48, 
1.07 
3.12 
.lo 
.oSj 

'7-95! 


1886-S7 


.02 

-05 

■  30! 

II. II 

4-43' 
8.12 

-30 
2.57. 
5-11 

■3": 


6 


KD 


-15 

-05 
1-59 

•45 
3.60 
1-57 
7-8, 

-71 
2-35 

.10 

-05 
Us 


>C  I  V 


.27 

"78 

3.22 
6.42 
1. 02; 

4^44, 
.10! 
.481 
■461 

17.20' 


1888-89  1 

10 

n 

Si 

V 

■< 

a 

I 

1889-90 


c 


•92 
.06 
3-52 
4.82 
.90 
-63 

7.60 

•93 
1.92 
.07 


21.37 


7^30 
2.89 
13-27 
10.22 
5-76 
4-73 
1-51 
1. 17 


64I46.95 


1890-91 

a 


1891-92 


iO 


3-19 
•95 

11-37 
3.10 

2.77 
1.60 
.11 

i'23.T9'   .S7 


•15 

6 

.87 

2 

.20 

5 

-.55 

13 

6.64 

9 

2.31 

9 

3-68 

9 

2.89 

8 

1.09 

7 

2.49 

20.87 

68 

Note.— Mean  annual  rainfall  for  eleven  years,  24  33  inches. 

The  following  will  more  particularly  illustrate  the 
climate  of  Oakland  for  the  past  eleven  years,  as  it 
regards  the  equability  of  seasons  and  the  difference 
between  the  warmest  and  coldest: — 


Years. 

w 

•0 

1' 

C 

3 
B 

re 

> 

c 
c 
3 
3 

^     1 

5     1 

n 

:      1 

a 

n 

3 

54-46 
55  18 

55-73 
56.16 

52-97 
5635 
54-12 
54-63 
55-59 
58.08 

60.40 
61.17 
59-56 
60.07 
58-95 
60.27 
60  06 
61.16 
61-89 
61. 2-, 

57-75 
57  67 
56.92 
56.73 
55-86 
5478 
56-44 

48.20 

50.39 
59-12 
49-57 
45- 38 
51-10 
46.80 

12.20 

1883 ■ 

10.78 
9.24 

10.50 

13-57 

1887           

9- 17 

13.26 

54.25    46.20 
57-07    47-38 
=9.52  ■  51-69 
56.89  ,  52.12 

19.26 

14-51 

13-33 

1892 

,  55.06    61.69 

13-41 



Means 

1  55-29    60.46 

56.72  I  49-81 

12.47 

Difference  between  the  warmest  and   coldest  means 
of  the  seasons  for  eleven  years  is  16.51. 


MATERIAL  GROWTH  AND  INCREASE. 

Wonderful  Progress  of  the  County  in  the   Past  Quarter  of  a 
Century— Almost   Doubled    in    Assessed    Value  withm  a 
Decade. 
The  material    growth   and  prosperity  of  Alameda 
County,  especially  during  the  past  quarter  of  a  century, 
has  been  gradual,  progressive,  and  substantial,  rather 
than  of  a  mushroom  character.     It  contains  no  towns 
or  cities  on  paper.     The  interior  towns  and   villages 
mentioned    in    this  album  are    prosperous    communi- 
ties and  all  have  a   productive   country  surrounding 
them. 

During  the  earlier  years  of  the  county's  history,  the 
principal'  product  of  the  land  was  in  cereals,  as  the 
records  of  the  assessor's  office  for  1856  show  the 
cereal  crop  of  that  year  to  have  been  nearly  two  mil- 
lion bushels,  on  forty-two  thousand  fifty-four  acres. 
Of  this  twenty-two  thousand  fifty-four  was  in  wheat, 
and   twenty    thousand  in   barley,    while    there   were 


LJ 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


II 


three  thousand  one  hundred  and  eight  acres  in  pota- 
toes. Of  the  orchards  that  year  there  were  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  acres  in  apples  and  one  hundred 
and  seventy-three  in  peaches.  There  were  thirt)?- 
four  acres  in  vineyards.  The  live  stock  was  put 
down  'at  four  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  head  of  horses,  one  thousan.d  sixty-seven  mules, 
seventeen  thousand  five  hundred  and  forty-eight  neat 


is  ^89,700,041.  Included  in  this  total  is  ^165,216  as 
the  assessed  value  of  telegraph  and  telephone  lines  in 
the  county,  which  is  not  included  in  table. 

Alameda  County  is  practically  without  indebted- 
ness. In  the  year  1874  bonds  in  the  sum  of  ^200,- 
000  were  issued  at  eight  per  cent  per  annum  interest, 
running  for  twenty  years,  ten  per  cent  of  the  principal 
payable  annually.     These  bonds  were  issued  for  the 


stock,  and   ninety-three  thousand  two    hundred    and  purpose  of  erecting  the  new  county  buildings  on  the 

eighty-one  sheep.     The  average  yield   was  estimated  removal  of  the  county  seat  to  Oakland.     The  interest 

for  the  fifty-si.x  thousand  five  hundred  and  nine  acres  and  principal  have  been  met  each  year,  and  only  ^20,- 

under  tilth  at  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre,  valued  at  ;^  120.  000  now  remains  outstanding.     This  will  be  obliter- 

From  this  the  annual  product  of  the  thinly  populated  ated  ne.xt  year,  and  the  county  be  entirely  out  of  debt, 

county   at  that    time    was   estimated    at    ^4,000,000.  The  tax  rate  for  1892-93  was  only  eighty  cents  on  the 

The  growth  of  the  county  the  past  thirty  years  from  its  hundred  dollars  valuation, 
population  of  three  thousand  to  upward  of  one  hun- 

,,,,  lUU  ™  1  j-t-Jt-)  THE    COUNTY   GOVERNMENT. 

dred  thousand,  has  been  marvelous,  and  its  industrial 

growth  and  prosperity  have  kept  pace  with  its  popula-  The  government  of  the  county  is  divided  into  legis- 
tion,  as  the  perusal  of  the  succeeding  pages  will  show,  lative,  executive,  and  judicial  branches.  The  leg- 
The  following  tabulated  statement,  taken  from  the  islative  is  under  the  control  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
annual  recapitulation  tables  of  the  county  assessment  visors,  similar  to  the  County  Courts  in  some  States  and 
rolls,  shows  the  increase  in  the  assessed  value  of  real  Board  of  County  Commissioners  in  others.  The  ex- 
estate,  improvements,  and  personal  property,  added  ecutive  is  partly  under  control  of  the  Supervisors  and 
together  by  years  since  1882,  and  including  that  of  partly  under  the  general  law  as  carried  out  by  the 
1892-93.  During  the  eleven  years  mentioned  there  Sheriff,  constables,  etc.  There  are  five  Supervisors, 
have  been  no  so-called  booms,  but  the  growth  has  elected  by  the  people  of  different  supervisioral  districts 
been  gradual  and  steady:  at  the  biennial  elections,   to  serve  for  a  term  of  four 


TABLE   SHOWING   THE   INCREASE    IN 

VALUE   OF   ALAMEDA   COUNTY    BY   TOWNSHIPS, 

CITIES   AND   INCORPORATED   TOWNS,    FOR 

11  YEARS,   1882-92,  AS  SHOWN  BY  THE  ASSESSMENT  ROLLS. 

< 

> 

M 

w 

H 

X 

r 

§ 

0 

Ul 

i 

3  3 

0 

P 

HP 
^  ft 

3  Q. 

Ho 
0  0 

^  E 

3  j^ 

ui  a. 

V 

■  5 

i 

■3 

Hc 
0  q 

S   P 

3  "< 

P 
3 

t- 

p 
3 

Totals. 

3-" 

■< 

S-3 

':  H 

:    0 

3. 

0 

a 

5". 

3- 

p 
3 

m 

a 

V 

■5" 

:    3 

■?' 

•5' 

3 

V  s 

1S82 

14,778,150 

11,671,177 

13,323.568 

$2,777,089 

1386,457 

^5250,50-, 

12,913,462 

13,421,394 

fc77,o86 

14,175.402 

$24,675,331 

$48,949,619 

1S83 

5,918,403 

2,357,812 

2,464,186 

3,048,997 

475.672 

286,2681  3,223,412 

4.415.375 

613,463 

4.324.198 

30,013,676 

62,141,462 

1S84 

6,091,513 

2,305,378 

2,350.159 

3,277,087 

498,930 

408,1981  3,662,360 

4.291,559 

644,205 

4,501,828 

29,500,535 

57,531,758 

iSS.s 

6,805,763 

2,618,702 

2,395,595 

3,640,860 

523.322 

487.730    3.877,819 

4,573,174 

664,926 

4,690,358 

31,633,283 

61,315,526 

I8S6 

6,298,150 

2,418,944 

2,184.03s 

3,058,371 

484,718 

465.456    3,526325 

4,27i>'^87 

592,085 

4,173,535 

28,498,030 

55,926,236 

I8S7 

6,521,991 

2,491,450 

2.337.355 

3,260,479 

519,120 

515,284    3,891,119 

4,324,162 

617,315 

4,278,100 

29,415,341 

58,171,746 

1888 

7,230,332 

3,126,125 

3,140,492 

3.599,261 

687,022 

533.445    4.010,093 

4,701,561 

659.777 

4,660,275 

31,398,528 

64447,916 

3889 

7,872,699 

3,283,960 

3,265,180 

3.617,951 

604, 509 

526,6451  4,112,400 

5,248,353 

781,810 

4,900,092 

34,727,9-6 

68,941,464 

1890 
IS9I 

9,022,866 

3,497.413 

3,328.925 

3,861,245 

638,825 

509,885!  4.238,380 

5.457.036 

863,500 

5,114,495 

39,275,659 

75,808,220 

10,245,155 

4,092,040 

3,477,345 

3.944.623 

691,665 

620,805!  4,490,983 

6.762,357 

930,425 

5,205,041 

42,566,283 

81,031,722 

1892  io,9is,b25l  6,240,435 

5,019,925    3,969.495 

777,040 

614,475!  4.575. 195 

6,165,825 

982,065 

5,289,990 

44,288,755 

88,841,825 

The  assessed  value  of  the  fiscal  year  1892-93  of 
the  four  hundred  and  forty  thousand  three  hundred 
and  fifty-five  acres  of  land  in  the  county  lying  out- 
side of  the  cities  and  incorporated  towns,  is  ^17,209,- 
725.  The  assessed  value  of  the  improvements  on  this 
land  is  ^2,780,580.  Of  the  entire  area  of  the  county, 
fourteen  thousand  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  are 
within  the  corporate  limits  of  cities  and  towns,  and  are 
valued  at  ^39>369,775,  with  improvements  to  the  value 
of  ^22,137,020.  The  personal  property  valuation  is 
^7,464,620,  and  the  total  assessed  value  of  the  county 


years.  Their  terms  are  so  fixed  that  all  do  not  go  out 
of  office  at  the  same  time.  Of  the  present  Board  the 
terms  of  two  will  expire  January  i,  1895,  and  the  re- 
maining three  January  I,  1897.  The  regular  meeting 
of  the  Supervisors  is  held  on  the  first  and  last  Mon- 
day of  each  month.  The  Supervisors  have  charge  of 
much  of  the  county's  business,  fi.x  the  tax  levy,  open 
highways,  grant  railroad  and  other  franchises,  county 
licenses,  look  after  the  poor,  etc. 

The    other  county   officers  are    the    Count}^  Clerk 
who   is  ex-officio  Clerk  of  the  Superior  Court,  which 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


has  jurisdiction  over  criminal,  civil,  and  probate  busi- 
ness, and  is  likewise  clerk  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors; 
the  County  Auditor,  County  Assessor,  County  Tax 
Collector,  County  Treasurer,  County  Recorder,  County 
Surveyor,  Sheriff,  Coroner,  County  Superintendent  of 
Schools,  and  District  Attorney,  whose  duties  are 
similar  to  those  performed  by  like  officers  in  other 
States;  the  Public  Administrator,  whose  duty  it  is 
to  administer  on  estates  of  deceased  persons  whose 
heirs  are  unknown.  There,  is  no  Register  of  Wills 
or  Prothonotoiy.  All  wills  are  filed  with  the  County 
Clerk,  and  proof  is  made  in  the  Probate  depart- 
ment of  the  Superior  Court.  The  terms  of  the 
County  Assessor  and  the  County  Superintendent  of 
Schools  are  four  years,  and  those  of  the  other  officers 
two  years. 

The  Judicial  Department,  or  Superior  Court,  is  di- 
vided into  four  departments,  each  presided  over  by  a 
judge,  all  having  concurrent  jurisdiction  and  sometimes 
sitting  together  in  bank  in  important  cases.  Each  de- 
partment has  assigned  to  it  civil,  probate,  and  criminal 
cases,  these    being    distributed    b}-  the    Count)^  Clerk 


according  to  the  date  of  filing,  as  provided  by  the  rules 
of  the  Court.  The  Superior  Court  has  jurisdiction  of 
all  felonies  and  high  misdemeanors,  the  jurisdiction  of 
lesser  offenses  being  vested  in  Police  Courts  in  cities 
and  the  Justices'  Courts  of  the  townships,  from  whose 
decisions  appeals  may  be  had  to  the  Superior  Court. 
The  Justices  of  the  Peace  likewise  have  jurisdiction  in 
ci\'il  matters  in  actions  at  law,  where  the  amount 
claimed,  exclusive  of  interest  and  costs,  does  not  ex- 
ceed ^300. 

The  Grand  Jur\-  meets  twice  a  year  and  presents 
■  indictments  for  any  crime  cognizable  by  the  Superior 
Court.  The  Judges  of  the  Police  and  Justices'  Courts 
are  also  committing  magistrates  and  may  bind  de- 
fendants to  trial  before  the  Superior  Court  without  the 
intervention  of  the  Grand  Jury.  In  the  latter  instance 
informations  are  filed  by  the  District  Attorney  and  the 
prisoner  tried  in  the  .Superior  Court  as  on  indictment 
l^y  the  Grand  Ji.ir\-. 

Alameda  County  has  in  the  State  Legislature  two 
State  Senators  and  six  Assemblymen,  the  former  with 
terms  of  four  and  the  latter  two  years. 


CHAPTER  II. 

HORTICULTURE,      VITICULTURE,     AGRICUL- 
TURE, ETC. 

A  Great  Fruit  Growing  Center— Unequaled  for  Viticulture, 
Producing  the  Finest  Wines  in  the  World— Une.xcelled  for 
Cereal  Crops — Flowers  in  Profusion,  Including  Many  of  the 
Semi-tropics— Roses  Blooming  .All  the  Year  Round  and 
the  Heliotrope  and  Fuchsia  Oul-ofdoors  during  tlie  Win- 
ter— Immense  Vegetable  Crops — Seri -culture. 

HORTICULTURE  IN  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 

Unexcelled  for  Fruits  of  all  Kinds — Immense   Advance  in  the 
'  Past  Ten  Years. 

It  is  said  that  fruit  culture  in  the  early  days  of  Cal- 
ifornia was  incidental,  and  that  it  should  ever  become 
the  chief  industry  of  a  great  commonwealth  was  not 
then  dreamed  possible.  The  horticultural  history  of 
California  dates  back  to  1701-7,  when  Alta  Cali- 
fornia as  well  as  Lower  California  was  under  Spanish 
rule.  It  commenced  by  the  cultivation  of  a  rich  tract 
at  St.  Xavier,  on  the  Mexican  border.  It  is  a  matter  of 
record  that  Father  Ugarte  had  in  the  latter  year  bread 
of  his  own  raising  off  this  tract,  while  New  Spain  was 
suffering  from  drought.  He  is  also  said  to  have  made 
more  wine  from  the  vineyards  of  the  St.  Xavier  Mis- 
sion than  necessary  for  its  use,  and  to  have  exported 
small  quantities  to  Mexic^  It  was  not  until  nearly 
half  Century  later  that  tk^-i-^  .x tion  now  known  as  the 


State  of  California  was  occupied  by  the  whites.  The 
Jesuits  were  driven  from  the  missions  of  Lower  Cali- 
fornia in  1767,  and  the  Franciscan  monks  [)laced  in 
charge.  Junipero  Serra  was  made  president  of  the 
missions  and  divided  them  between  the  Fi-anciscans 
and  Dominicans.  In  1769  the  Franciscans  came 
northward.  Serra  and  Jose  de  Galvez,  Visitor  General, 
representing  the  king  of  Spain,  established  the  new 
missions  of  Alta  California,  and  among  the  supplies 
caused  to  be  sent  from  Spain  bj'  Galvez  were  floucr, 
vegetable,  and  fruit  seeds  as  well  as  cereals. 

They  established  twenty-one  missions,  and  to  all, 
except  three,  were  attached  gardens  and  orchards,  so 
that  the  olive,  fig  and  grape  were  introduced  early. 
The  trees  were  grown  from  the  seed  chiefly  and  were 
all  or  nearly  all  seedlings,  and  from  these  are  still  prop- 
agated the  varieties  known  as  the  mission  olive,  the 
mission  grape,  and  the  black  fig,  called  the  mission 
fig.  In  the  closing  years  of  the  last  century  and  the 
opening  of  this,  there  were  growing  near  Mission  San 
Jose,  now  in  Alameda  County,  apples,  pears,  apricots^ 
peaches,  and  figs,  and  at  some  of  the  missions  in  the 
southern  portion  were,  in  addition  to  these,  oranges, 
limes,  grapes,  olives,  and  pomegranates — in  all  about 
five  thou.sand  bearing  trees.  These  have  increased  in 
the  century  to  nearly  thirty-one  million  trees,  and  of 
this  number  about  one  million  six  hundred  thousand 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


13 


are  in  Alameda  County.  Of  these  about  one  million 
are  in  bearing.  Among  the  first  apples  grown  in  the 
State  were  those  of  Mr.  Lewelling,  of  San  Lorenzo, 
Alameda  County.  There  are  in  the  county  fifty  thou- 
sand five  hundred  apple  trees,  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
one  thousand  apricot,  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
thousand  one  hundred  cherry,  twenty-three  hundred 
fig,  thirty-seven  hundred  olive,  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  thousand  five  hundred  peach,  forty  thousand 
seven  hundred  nectarine,  two  hundred  and  thirty-five 
thousand  one  hundred  prune,  one  hundred  and  seventy 
thousand  one  hundred  pear,  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight  thousand  five  hundred  plum,  four  hundred 
quince,  one  hundred  lemon,  twelve  hundred  orange, 
one  hundred  and  twenty-three  thousand  seven  hundred 
almond,  thirty-six  hundred  English  walnut.  This  has 
been  the  growth,  practically,  of  the  past  twenty  years, 
as  the  entire  output  of  fresh  fruit  in  California  in  1871 
was  only  one  million  eight  hundred  and  thirty-two 
thousand  three  hundred  and  ten  pounds,  while  in  1892 
about  four  hundred  million  pounds,  or  upward  of 
twenty-two  thousand  car  loads,  were  shipped  out  of 
the  State.  The  immense  growth  is  shown  in  the  past 
ten  to  twelve  years  by  the  fact  that  the  total  number  of 
car  loads  shipped  in  1880  was  only  five  hundred  and 
forty-si-x.  Beside  the  immense  quantity  shipped  by 
rail  about  eighteen  million  pounds  were  shipped  by 
sea.  Of  this  Alameda  County  contributed,  it  is  esti- 
mated, three  million  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
pounds,  and  it  ranks  as  one  of  the  leading  fruit  coun- 
ties of  the  State.  In  the  production  of  cherries  it 
stands  at  the  head.  Of  this  fruit  more  are  shipped  to 
Eastern  markets  than  from  all  other  parts  of  the  State. 
Not  only  do  the  orchard  fruits  flourish  well  in  this 
county,  but  the  small  fruits,  such  as  currants,  goose- 
berries, raspberries,  strawberries,  blackberries,  etc.,  do 
equally  well,  and  there  are  now  nearly  fourteen  hun- 
dred acres  in  these  fruits. 

Little  or  no  irrigation  is  needed  in  the  entire  county. 
There  is  only  one  canal  of  any  extent — that  of  the 
Murray  and  Washington  Ditch  Company.  It  is 
about  five  miles  long  and  is  assessed  at  only  ^1,100. 
There  are  about  fifty  artesian  wells  in  the  county,  vaiy- 
ing  in  depth  from  two  hundred  to  four  hundred  feet. 
These  are  sunk  at  a  cost  of  about  ,^1.50  per  foot. 

In  his  report  to  the  California  State  Board  of  Hor- 
ticulture last  October,  Prof  C.  H.  Allen,  special  agent 
for  the  counties  of  Alameda,  Contra  Costa,  Monterey, 
Santa  Clara,  Santa  Cruz,  San  Benito,  and  San  Mateo, 
has  this  to  say : — 

"Alameda  County  has  some  of  the  oldest  and  most 
celebrated  orchards  in  the  State.  The  almost  fabu- 
lous yields  of  apricots  and  cherries  in  this  county,  with 


the  amounts  realized  per  acre  for  the  fruit,  gave  the 
first  vigorous  impulse  to  fruit  growing  in  California. 

"The  Hay  ward  district,  comprising  the  plane  from 
San  Leandro  to  Suiiol  Canon,  lying  so  closely  contig- 
uous to  San  Francisco,  was  naturally  the  favorite 
region  in  which  to  grow  fruit  for  the  home  market. 
The  fact  that  abundant  water  was  found,  compara- 
tively near  the  surface,  made  irrigation  easy  for  small 
fruits.  These  were  and  are  grown  in  large  quantities 
and  find  a  ready  market.  Large  areas  of  currants, 
gooseberries,  and  other  small  fruits  are  producing, 
and  are,  in  many  cases,  grown  between  the  trees  in 
the  bearing  orchards.  The  most  notable  orchard  is 
that  of  the  Meek  estate,  consisting  of  nearlj^  one  thou- 
sand acres.  One  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  this  are 
cherries,  more  than  two  hundred  acres  are  apricots, 
two  hundred  and  twenty  are  almonds,  seventy  are 
pears,  and  more  than  two  hundred  acres  are  prunes. 
In  these  orchards  there  are  one  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  currants  and  ten  acres  of  blackberries.  The 
output  from  this  orchard  has  far  outgrown  the  home 
market,  and  large  shipments  are  now  being  made  to 
the  Eastern  markets.  Through  all  this  region  the 
fruit  goes  either  fresh  or  in  cans,  as  the  climate  is  not 
adapted  to  drying  in  the  sun,  and  the  cost  of  fuel  is  too 
great  for  profitable  artificial  drying.  Many  of  the 
large  canneries  of  the  State  depend  upon  the  Alameda 
orchards  for  a  considerable  portion  of  their  supply, 
and  not  a  few  of  the  inland  packing  houses  transport 
from  this  locality  fruit  to  dry. 

"It  was  years  after  fruit  growing  had  become  a  lead- 
ing industry  in  this  locality  before  it  was  determined 
that  the  more  easterly  parts  of  the  county  were 
adapted  to  fruit.  At  Mission  San  Jose  there  were  some 
orchards,  thd  offspring  of  the  old  mission,  and  a  large 
almond  orchard  had  long  been  in  profitable  bearing 
there,  but  it  was  doubted  whether  in  the  drier  part — 
the  Livermore  Valley — fruit  could  be  grown  without 
irrigation.  Grapes  were  planted,  and  succeeded  be- 
yond expectation,  and  gradually  tree  planting  has 
made  its  way  until  at  Niles,  at  Centerville,  and  beyond 
the  Sunol  Canon,  in  Sunol,  Pleasanton,  and  Liver- 
more,  there  are  excellent  orchards.  Most  of  them 
are  yet  young,  but  they  bid  fair  to  compete  favorably 
with  the  fruit  belt  in  the  Santa  Clara  Valley.  Most  of 
the  orchards  are  in  the  lowlands.  They  have  yet  to 
learn  that  the  foothill  land  is  equally  adapted  to  fruit 
culture,  and  that  culture  can  take  the  place  of  irriga- 
tion. The  fruit  area  here  is  surely  destined,  in  the 
near  future,  to  be  greatly  increased. 

"At  Niles  is  one  of  the  largest,  if  not  the  largest, 
nursery  in  the  State.  The  California  Nursery  Com- 
pany, with  a  capital  of  ^100,000,  has  about  five  hun- 


H 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


dred  acres  in  nursery  stock,  consisting  of  fruit  trees, 
vines,  and  ornamental  trees  and  slirubs.  Their  sales 
in  1 89 1  were  about  seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
fruit  trees  and  two  hundred  thousand  ornamental  trees 
and  shrubs. 

"The  orchards  in  this  county  seem  to  be  well  kept, 
fruit  pests  being  absent  or  well  in  hand,  and  there  is 
on  ever)?  hand  evidence  of  prosperity." 


VITICULTURE  OF  THE  COUNTY. 

The  Finest  Wines  of  California  and  of  America  are  Made  in 
Alameda  County — Three  of  the  Paris  Exposition  Prizes 
out  of  Four  Awarded  to  American  Viticulturists  Won  by 
Alameda   County. 

The  viticultural  industry  of  Alameda  County,  al- 
though commenced  nearly  a  century  ago  by  the  Mis- 
sion Fathers  of  Mission  de  San  Jose,  is  only  of  recent 
date,  or  at  least  has  only  come  into  prominence  within 
the  past  ten  to  fifteen  years.  The  first  wine  growers 
making  any  quantity  were  in  the  vicinity  of  Mission 
San  Jose,  but  during  the  past  fifteen  years  large  areas 
have  been  planted  in  the  Livermore  and  other  valle3's, 
and  from  the  few  growers  of  that  date  are  now  about 
one  hundred  and  si.xty  raising  different  varieties  of 
wine  grapes.  Only  thirty-one  of  these,  however,  make 
wine,  the  remainder  selling  their  grapes  to  the  wine 
makers.  In  1892  there  were  about  seven  thousand 
acres  in  wine  grapes  in  the  county,  and  the  output  for 
the  season  aggregated  about  one  million  two  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  gallons.  The  wines  of  Alameda 
County,  especially  the  Sauternes  and  the  Medocs,  are 
equal  to  any  in  the  world,  and  of  four  gold  medals 
awarded  to  American  wines  at  the  Paris  Exposition, 
i889,three  of  them  were  carried  away  by  products  from 
Alameda  County.  The  largest  and  mcfst  complete 
winery  in  the  United  States  was  built  a  few  years  ago 
at  Irvfngton,  near  Mission  San  Jose,  by  Juan  Gallegoes, 
and  nearly  five  hundred  thousand  gallons  were  made 
there  last  season.  This  winery  is  capable  of  storing 
several  million  gallons.  There  are  yet  thousands  of 
acres  in  the  Livermore  and  other  valleys  in  the  county 
suitable  for  the  cultivation  of  the  vine. 

Some  of  the  vintages  of  the  Livermore  Valley,  es- 
pecially in  the  Sauternes  and  Medocs,  are  unexcelled 
by  any  of  the  productions  of  the  famous  French  vine 
growers.  One  of  these  is  said  to.be  the  equal  of  a 
famous  French  brand,  and  is  so  near  like  it  that  the 
best  judges  were  unable  to  detect  any  difference. 
Those  of  Mission  San  Jose  and  Warm  Springs  are 
also  equal  to  the  best  imported  wines. 

AGRICULTURE     IN    ALAMEDA    COUNTY. 

From  1856  until  about  fifteen  years  ago  the  agricul- 
tural area  of  the  county  increased  and  the  cereal  prod- 


ucts were  considerable.  The  cultivation  of  much  of 
the  land  in  the  Livermore  Valley,  in  and  around  San 
Leandro,  Hayward,  Niles,  Mission  San  Jose,  Center- 
ville.  Warm  Springs,  etc.,  has  during  this  time  been 
changed  to  horticulture  and  viticulture.  In  1856  the 
entire  area  in  agricultural  products  was  about  forty- 
five  thousand  acres,  and  annual  yield  about  two  mil- 
lion bushels.  In  1870—75  it  was  much  greater,  and 
large  warehouses  were  established  at  different  stations 
along  the  railroad  lines  and  at  various  landings  where 
the  products  vvere  shipped  to  market.  In  1892  the 
area  in  agricultural  products  according  to  the  assess 
ment  I'olls  was  two  hundred  and  three  thousand 
acres,  or  three  hundred  and  fifteen  square  miles.  Of 
this  ninety-seven  thousand  acres  were  in  hay,  sixty- 
eight  thousand  in  barley,  thirty-six  thousand  in  wheat, 
twelve  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  in  oats,  and 
one  thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty  in  corn.  The  out- 
put for  the  year  1892  was  two  million  bushels  of  bar- 
ley, one  million  bushels  of  wheat,  and  about  five  hun- 
dred thousand  tons  of  hay.  Corn  is  only  grown  for 
market  gardening,  and  the  sweet  varieties  for  table  use 
are  those  principally  produced.  Very  little  is  used 
for  stock  food  or  for  grinding  purposes.  The  barley 
is  the  finest  grown  on  the  coast,  Chevalier  frequently 
running  as  high  as  fifty-six  pounds  to  the  bushel,  the 
standard  being  fifty-one  pounds.  The  cereal  crops 
produce  from  thirty  to  fifty  bushels  per  acre  on  the 
rich  soils  of  the  county.  The  market  for  barley  is 
near,  as  it  is  principally  sold  in  Oakland  and  San 
Francisco  to  the  brewers,  and  much  of  the  wheat  is 
also  used  in  home  consumption,  but  the  market  is  not 
limited  to  that  of  home,  because  a  great  deal  of  grain 
is  shipped  by  vessel  around  Cape  Horn  to  tlie  United 
Kingdom  and  the  Continent.  The  hay  product,  which 
is  principally  that  of  grain,  though  other  kinds  are 
grown,  finds  a  ready  market  at  a  good  price  in  the 
metropolis  and  at  the  county  seat. 


FLORICULTURE  AND  ARBORICULTURE. 

One  of  the  Garden  Spots  of  the  World — Flowers  and  Shrub 
bery.  Including  Semi-tropical  Plants  in  the  Open  Air  all  the 
Year  Round. 

Nowhere  in  the  world,  not  even  in  China,  called  the 
Flowery  Kingdom,  do  flowers  of  all  kinds  grow  more 
profusely  and  with  less  care  than  in  California;  with 
proper  care  and  cultivation  their  production  is  won- 
derful. Alameda  County  is  especially  favored  by 
nature  for  the  cultivation  and  production  of  all  kinds 
of  flora,  and  her  florists  send  roses  and  other  flowers 
as  far  east  as  Salt  Lake  City  every  month  in  the  year. 
Roses  bloom  in  the  yards  and  on  the  lawns  every 
month  in  the  year,  and  so  does  the  delicate. heliotrope 


PliME  6 


.^^ 


3iKY  AND  CITY  OF  SAN 


^sm^^..-^.^^ 


..s^^fc^^L.^i.'.^'^Ui^.i  A':?t-;-~rJ1^4^?ai-  \^  ^^^^^J^^,S.^Sil^Ur.iU^ 


r«STAHD  TELEGRAPH  AVE.  OAKIZ\ND 

flNC^lS^O  INDISTANGE. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


15 


— a  plant  that  scarcely  attains  any  size  in  the  rigorous 
climate  of  the  East,  but  which  attains  a  vigorous, 
bushy  growth  in  Oakland  and  interior  towns  out-of- 
doors  to  the  height  of  four  and  five  feet,  and  in  espe- 
cially favored  localities  even  more.  The  delicate 
fuchsia",  the  hothouse  pot  plant  of  the  East,  frequently 
attains  the  height  of  eight  and  ten  feet,  with  blooms  of 
large  size — sometimes  three  or  four  times  that  usually 
seen  East.  It  also  remains  out-of-doors  all  winter. 
Magnolias  and  calla  lilies  thrive  outdoors  during  the 
entire  year  without  shelter.  The  fragrant  violet  is 
to  be  found  the  year  round,  in  bloom,  and  its  per- 
fume is  as  sweet  in  December,  January,  and  Feb- 
ruary as  at  any  other  time  of  the  year.  Geraniums 
of  all  Icinds  bloom  in  the  yards  every  month  in 
the  year,  and  the  various  varieties  of  Lady  Wash- 
ingtons,  with  magnificent  large  flowers,  are  the  won- 
der of  the  visitor.  The  pans)-  is  found  in  bloom 
also  the  year  round.  Even  the  sweet  pea  and  the 
nasturtium  are  to  be  found  growing  outside  during  the 
winter  months.  The  crysanthemum  commences  to 
bloom  in  October  and  continues  to  do  so  out-of-doors 
in  the  yard  the  entire  winter.  During  the  past  two 
or  three  years  this  magnificent  plant  from  Japan  has 
been  so  improved  that  its  immense  flowers  of  all  colors 
and  of  combined  colors  arc  the  glory  of  the  flower 
garden.  It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  the  many  hardy 
perennials  by  name,  because  they  all  thrive  in  Ala- 
meda County. 

The  most  popular  of  the  indigenous  flowers  is  the 
escholtzia,  or  California  poppy,  and  during  the  months 
of  April,  May,  and  June  the  uncultivated  fields  and 
hills  are  covered  with  this  beautifial  flower,  often  re- 
maining in  bloom  until  July  and  August. 

Ornamental  shrubs  of  all  kinds  and  variety  thrive  out- 
of-doors  during  the  entire  year,  only  the  most  delicate 
of  tropical  plants  requiring  the  hothouse.  Palms  and 
ferns  from  the  semi-tropics  and  South  Sea  Islands 
adorn  the  grounds  of  many  citizens  of  Alameda 
County,  and  are  as  common  as  the  spruce  and  fir 
in  colder  locations  at  the  East.  The  cedar  is  now 
used  only  as  a  hedge  and  is  seldom  grown  as  a  lawn 
decoration,  palms  and  ferns  of  various  varieties  being 
used  instead. 


VEGETABLES. 


All  Varieties  Grown  in  the  County— Green  Peas  from  January 
to  December. 


The  County  of  Alameda  furnishes  to  the  metropolis 
of  the  State  of  California  much  of  the  large  quantity 
of  vegetables  consumed  by  its  residents.     Green  peas 


are  gathered  in  the  \varm  valley  near  Niles,  Mission 
San  Jose,  and  Warm  Springs  every  month  in  the  year, 
and  in  January  it  is  a  beautiful  sight  to  see  the  green 
rows  of  this  vegetable  product  on  the  hillsides.  Dur- 
ing the  months  of  April,  May,  and  June  an  average 
of  three  car  loads  per  day  are  shipped  from  this  local- 
ity. Large  quantities  of  tomatoes  and  potatoes  are 
also  produced,  as  well  as  onions,  squash,  cabbages, 
beets,  etc.,  and  several  crops  per  year  are  grown 
and  may  be  purchased  at  the  vegetable  stands  the 
year  round,  it  being  unnecessary  to  bury  them  to 
keep  them  from  being  frozen.  The  finest  rhubarb 
grown  in  the  LTnited  States  is  produced  in  the  vicinity 
of  San  Leandro.  It  is  said  that  during  the  months  of 
April,  May,  June,  Jul}^  and  August  about  ^200  to 
^300  daily  come  into  this  town  of  two  thousand  five 
hundred  inhabitants  as  the  proceeds  from  the  sale  of 
vegetables  and  fruits  grown  in  the  vicinity.  Large- 
sized  cabbages  may  be  purchased  from  the  vegetable 
stalls  of  Oakland  the  year  round — summer  and  winter 
— for  five  cents  each.  Large  quantities  of  cucumber 
pickles  are  produced  in  Eden  Township.  Cauliflower 
and  celery  are  also  among  the  vegetable  products,  and 
find  read}'  sale  at  reasonable  prices  during  summer 
and  winter.  The  old-fashioned  pumpkin  of  the  East 
is  seldom  seen,  but  the  hard-rined  squash  in  endless 
variety  takes  its  place,  and  the  pumpkin  pies  of  our 
grandmothers  are  very  well  counterfeited. 


HOPS. 


In  the  Livermoi-e  Valley  are  grown  the  finest  hops 
produced  in  the  world.  The  area  at  the  present  time 
is  not  very  extensive,  but  it  is  being  enlarged,  and 
may  be  done  with  profit  to  the  growers.  The  Pleas- 
anton  hops  are  admitted  by  experts  in  New  York  to  be 
of  the  best  quality  grown,  and  are  shipped  to  Europe. 


SERI-CULTURE. 

An  experimental  station  for  the  culture  of  silk- 
worms has  been  in  operation  at  Piedmont,  Oakland 
Township,  since  1885,  under  the  direction  of  the  La- 
dies' Silk  Culture  Society  of  California,  and  is  still  in 
operation.  It  is  believed  by  the  members  of  the  so- 
ciety that  there  may  be  a  profit  in  planting  the  mul- 
berry tree  and  cultivating  the  silkworm,  if  the  farmers 
will  take  an  interest  and  get  their  children  interested 
in  it.  The  experiments  now  carried  on  are  fqr  the 
purpose  of  ascertaining  the  best  variety  of  mulberry 
and  the  best  species  of  silkworm  to  grow. 


i6 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  III. 
EDUCATIONAL  ADVANTAGES. 

Hirter   Education-The    State    University  at    Berlceley-Hs 
hU  Rank-The  State  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb 
and  the  Blind-Private  and  Religious  Colleges,  Seminaries 
and    Academies-Unrivaled  Public    Schools    throughout 
the  Entire  County. 
The  educational  advantages  of  Alameda  County  are 
not  excelled  anywhere  in  the  Union,  not  even  in  New 
England,  of  which  Bostpn  is  the  boasted  educational 
center.     Having  an  unrivaled  climate  and  desirability 
as  a  place  of  residence,  Oakland,  Alameda,  Berkeley, 
and  suburbs  or  the  interior  towns  are  within  reach  of 
the  University  of  California  and  other  institutions  of 
higher  education  by  reason  of  excellent  system  of  elec- 
tric street  railroads  now  in  operation  and  in  process  of 
construction,  and  which  will  be  completed  within  a  few 
months.    The  public  school  system  is  second  to  none, 
and  the  recent  act  of  the  Legislature  creating  union 
high  schools  throughout  the  counties  permits  students 
in  the  interior  of  the  county  to  prepare  at  their  homes 
for  entrance  to  the  State  University  without  the   ex- 
pense of  attending  a  preparatory  school,  or  of  receiv- 
ing a  good  education,  fitting  them  for  the  active  duties 
of"  life  without  attending    the    higher    institutions  of 
learning.  

UNIVERSITY  OF   CALIFORNIA. 
A  Great  Educational  Institution  Situated  in  Alameda  County. 


Among  the  prominent  institutions  situated  in  Ala- 
meda County  is  the  University  of  California,  the  prin- 
cipal departments  of  which  are  situated  at  Berkeley. 
The  history  of  the  State  University  runs  back  to  the 
early  days,  and  before  California  was  admitted  into  the 
Union  of  States,  but  its  effective  work  as  an  institution 
of  learning  did  not  begin  until  eighteen  years  later. 

In  1849  the  Constitutional  Convention  placed  a  pro- 
vision  in  the   Constitution  so  that  lands  reserved  or 
granted  by  the  United  States  to  the  State  for  the  use 
of  a  University  should  remain  a  permanent  trust,  the 
interest  on    moneys   received   for  lands   sold   by   the 
trustees  to  be  applied  to  the  support  of  the  Universit)-. 
In    1852   Congress    granted    seventy-two    sections    of 
land  to  the  State,  and  the  proceeds  of  their  sale  went 
into  the  University  fund.     The  same  Act  set  aside  ten 
sections  for  a  public  building  fund.     Under  an  act  of 
1862  California  received  fifty  thousand  acres  of  public 
land   for   the    establishment    of  an  Agricultural   and 
Mechanical  Arts  College.      In   1863  a  scheme  for  the 
estabhshment  of  this  college  came  to  naught,  and  an 
Act  passed  in   1S66  to  accomplish  the  same  end  was 
repealed. 


In  the  year  1853  Rev.  Henry  Durant  and  wife  ar- 
rived in  California  and  established  a   school   for  boys 
in  a  vacant  saloon  at  the  corner  of  Fourth   street  and 
Broadway.     Dr.  Durant  at  once  began   agitating  the 
project  of  establishing  a  great  college.     His  persist- 
ence bore  fruit,  and  in  the  summer  of  1853  was  pur- 
chased  the  plat  of  land   bounded    by  Twelfth,  Four- 
teenth, Franklin,  and  Harrison  streets,  Oakland,  and 
the  College  of  California  organized.     A  building  fund 
was  raised  and  several  buildings  erected  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Twelfth  and  Webster  streets  for  tlie  col- 
lege  and   preparatory   school.     The    money    for  the 
most  part  was  furnished  by  Rev.  Isaac  Brayton,  and 
he  appeared  to  have  a  controlling  interest  in  the  col- 
lege.    About  one  hundred   and   sixty  acres  of  land 
were    secured  at  Berkeley,  but  the  college  in    1866, 
after  thirteen  years  of  struggle,  was  $49-000  in   debt, 
and  affitirs  in  a  bad  way,  with  low  funds  and  a  lack  of 
students. 

The  attempt  to  found  and  establish  a  State  univer- 
sity had,  up  to  this  time,  not  been  very  successful,  and 
at  the  suggestion  of  Governor  F.  F.  Low,  tiie  State 
University,  backed  by  funds,  but  with  no  buildings, 
and  the  California  College  in  need  of  funds,  with  build- 
ings,  experience,  and    professors,  were  consolidated; 
at'the  suggestion  of  Governor  Low,  the  trustees  of  the 
College  of  California,  in  August,  1867,  offered  to  the 
State'their  site,  etc.     The  State  Board  of  Directors  ac- 
cepted the  gift,  receiving  property  consisting   of  the 
four  blocks  in  Oakland,the  college  and  school  buildings, 
a  library  of  10,000  volumes,  valuable  homestead  lots 
in  Berkeley,  and  one  hundred  and  twelve  acres  of  the 
so-called  -'mountain  land,"  the  whole  estimated  to  be 
worth  SI 60,000,  but  from  which   liabilities  amounting 
to  over  S49,000  were  to  be  subtracted,  assumed,  and 
paid.     At  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 
State  institution,  the  old  College  of  California  con- 
tinued in  life  until  the  spring  of  1869,  there  being  in 
1867  no  State  law  under  which  the  university  could 
be  properly  founded. 

In  March,  1868,  a  general  Act  was  passed,  entitled 
"An  Act  to  provide  for  the  incorporation  of  such  in- 
stitutions of  learning,  science,  and  art  as  may  be  estab- 
lished by  the  State.-  March  5.  1868,  the  late  Hon. 
John  W.  Dwinelle  introduced  a  bill  for  "an  Act  to 
create  and  organize  the  University  of  California,  and 
this  Act  became  a  law  on  March  23.  1868  since  ce  e- 
brated  as  Charter  day.  With- this  Act  the  Legisla 
ture  appropriated  $306,661.80.  creating  ^he  Unive.sit> 
fund  and  providing  for  a  government  by  the  Boa.d  of 

^Ihriite  of  the  buildings  at  Berkeley  is  a  very  hand- 
some one,  being  on  rising  ground,  near  the  foothills, 


PI^TEZ 


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£.eOAT  ISliVNC 


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D  Bay, Golden  Gate:  mnd  Paq^ij=(cOcean  in  the  distance.  1  angel  isifv-ND. 

i.ALC-ATRAZ 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


17 


which  rise  up  in  their  rear  to  the  height  of  several 
hundred  feet.  There  are  about  two  hundred  and 
forty-five  acres  in  the  University  grounds. 

The  buildings  of  the  University  proper  consist  of 
the  North  and  South  Halls  (the  two  oldest  and  larg- 
est buildings),  the  Bacon  Art  and  Library  Building, 
the  College  of  Mining  and  Mechanical  Arts,  the  Agri- 
cultural Building,  the  Chemical  Building  and  Labora- 
tory, and  the  Electrical  Building. 

These  are  of  fair  architecture  and  good  construction, 
principally  of  brick  and  stone.  The  surrounding 
grounds  are  being  gradually  improved  and  are  already 
quite  attractive.  The  landscape  gardening  is  after 
plans  suggested  by  Ex-State  Engineer  Hall.  In  Janu- 
aiy,  1879,  A.  K.  P.  Harmon,  of  Oakland,  donated  to  the 
University  a  gymnasium  building,  which  has  been  prop- 
erly furnished.  It  is  octagonal  in  shape,  will  seat  one 
thousand  two  hundred  people,  and  is  used  as  a  place 
for  holding  hops,  lectures,  commencement  and  simi- 
lar exercises.  In  connection  with  the  gymnasium  are 
a  campus  and  cinder  sprinting  path.  The  North  Hall 
building  has  four  stories  and  a  ground  area  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty-six  by  sixty  feet.  It  cost  ^92,468 
The  South  Hall  has  an  area  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty-two  by  fifty  feet.  Its  architecture  is  superior  and 
its  cost  was  ,g  198,000.  The  Bacon  Art  and  Library 
building  is  named  after  H.  D.  Bacon,  of  Oakland,  who, 
in  November,  1877,  donated  to  the  Universit}-  a  fine 
art  collection,  and  $25,000,  with  a  proviso  that  the 
State  appropriate  ;g2'5,ooo  additional  for  the  erection 
of  a  suitable  library  building  and  art  galler3^  The 
appropriation  was  made  and  the  building  erected. 
There  are,  properly,  two  buildings  in  one.  That  front- 
ing on  the  west  is  rectangular;  the  rear  building  is 
semicircular.  The  front  portion  is  eighty-eight  by 
thirty-eight  feet.  The  center  of  the  fagade  rises  into  a 
tower  one  hundred  and  two  feet  in  height.  The  interior 
arrangements  are  well  designed.  There  are  broad  lob- 
bies and  stairways,  an  elevator,  reading  rooms,  com- 
mittee rooms,  store  rooms,  and  a  large  art  gallery,  well 
lighted  from  the  top.  The  rotunda  of  the  library 
portion  is  sixty-nine  feet  in  diameter  and  fifty-seven  feet 
in  height.  It  will  hold  ninety  thousand  volumes.  There 
are  now  in  the  gallery  upward  of  fifty  thousand  books. 
The  art  gallery  contains  many  paintings  and  sculp- 
tures by  the  best  artists.  The  College  of  Mining  and 
Mechanical  Arts  is  a  three-story  structure  of  brick, 
stone,  and  iron,  well  furnished  with  mechanical  appa- 
ratus. 

For  the  College  of  Agriculture,  a  substantial  build- 
ing has  been  erected.  In  connection  with  this  college 
is  an  experimental  station,  sustained  by  the  United 
States  Government,  and  which  receives  reports  from 


various  portions  of  the  State  on  matters  connected 
with  agriculture,  horticulture,  and  viticulture.  It  has 
a  viticultural  laboratory. 

The  Chemical  Building  and  Laborator)/  is  one  ot 
the  most  complete  departments  in  the  University,  con- 
sisting of  two  stories  and  basement. 

Owing  to  the  general  uses  to  which  electricity  and 
electrical  appliances  are  being  put,  the  Regents  of  the 
L^niversity  during  the  past  year  had  a  building  erected, 
at  a  cost  of  $56,000,  used  as  a  College  of  Electrical 
and  Mechanical  Engineering. 

There  are  twenty-two  buildings  in  connection  with 
the  State  University  and  its  grounds  at  Berkeley. 
The  cost  of  these  buildings  was  $558,000,  and  the 
further  sum  of  $300,000  was  expended  for  apparatus. 
As  there  are  about  two  hundred  lady  students  attend-' 
ing  the  University,  the  erection  of  a  Woman's  Build- 
ing is  in  contemplation. 

In  addition  to  the  buildings  mentioned  is  the  Stu- 
dents' Observatory  to  the  north,  and  the  two-story 
brick  viticultural  cellar  on  Strawberry  Creek.  There 
are  a  number  of  cottages  owned  by  the  University 
and  occupied  as  homes  by  private  individuals. 

Besides  these  departments  and  buildings  of  the 
University  at  Berkeley,  are  the  Colleges  of  Law,  Medi- 
cine, Dentistry,  and  of  Pharmacy,  situated  across  the 
bay,  in  San  Francisco,  and  the  Lick  Observatory,  on 
Mount  Hamilton,  Santa  Clara  County,  all  of  which 
are  under  the  care  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  Uni- 
\'ei'sit}',  a  brief  history  of  which  is  subjoined. 

In  1878  Hon.  S.  C.  Hastings,  now  deceased,  do- 
nated $100,000  for  the  establishment  of  a  Law  College 
in  San  Francisco,  to  be  a  component  part  of  the  State 
University.  This  department  is  now  prosperous  and 
efficient. 

The  Toland  Medical  Institute  became  merged  in 
the  University  in  1873,  as  the  Medical  Department  of 
the  University  of  California.  This  was  brought  about 
by  gifts  of  the  buildings  and  property  in  San  Francisco, 
b)'  the  late  Dr.  Toland.  The  property  is  valued  at 
about  $25,000,  and  is  used  jointly  by  the  Colleges  of 
Medicine  and  Dentistr}?.  The  latter  expect  to  soon 
have  a  separate  building. 

Though  the  gift  of  money  and  property  in  1879, 
for  the  formation  of  a  College  of  Dentistry,  came  to 
naught,  a  Dental  Department  was  organized  in  1882, 
and  its  standard  is  now  second  to  none  in  the  country, 
and  is  admitted  to  be  unexcelled  by  any  in  Europe. 

In  1872  a  College  of  Pharmacy  was  incorporated 
by  private  individuals  and  subsequently  became  one 
of  the  integral  portions  of  the  University.  It  now  has 
a  faculty  of  seven   members,  and  the  number  of  stu- 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY 


dents  is  constantly  increasing.  Most  of  the  students 
are  engaged  in  work  in  the  Medical  Department. 

Among  the  gifts  to  the  State  University  were  that 
of  the  late  Edward  Tompkins,  of  Oakland,  of  forty- 
seveil  acres  of  land  on  New  Broadway,  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  the.  Agassiz  Professorship  of  Oriental 
Languages;  donotions  by  William  and  Eugene  Hille- 
gass  and  George  M.  Blake,  of  portions  of  the  Univer- 
sity site;  the  Michael  Reese  Library  fund,  of  ;$50,000, 
and  the  ^75.000  given  in  1881  by  D.  O.  Mills,  to 
found  the  chair  of  Intellectual  and  Moral  Philosophy 
and  Civil  Polity.  The  will  of  the  late  Dr.  C.  M. 
Hitchcock,  of  Napa,  bequeaths  a  certain  portion  of 
his  estate  to  the  University,  conditioned  entirely  upon 
the  failure  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Lillie  Coit,  to  leave 
issue  at  her  death.  The  possible  value  of  this  endow- 
ment may  be  stated  as  ^25,000. 

One  of  the  greatest  gifts  to  the  Universit}"  was  the 
$700,000  left  by  James  Lick  for  the  establishment  of 
a  great  astronomical  observatory.  This  observatory, 
located  on  Mount  Hamilton,  Santa  Clara  County,  was 
turned  over  to  the  Regents  in  1888.  The  plant  cost 
$582,000.  A  graduate  school  or  college  in  astron- 
omy where  a  post-graduate  course  is  given,  is  main- 
tained. The  income  from  the  remainder  of  the  gift  is 
hardly  adequate  for  the  maintenance  of  the  depart- 
ment, but  the  additional  sum  required  is  taken  from 
another  portion  of  the  University's  revenue. 

One  of  the  features  of  the  University  of  California  is 
its  Museum  of  Natural  History.  The  purpose  and 
scope  of  the  museum  ha\'e  been,  up  to  the  present 
time,  first,  to  contain  and  furnish  type  collections  for 
class  teaching;  and,  secondly,  to  put  on  exhibition 
for  the  benefit  of  visitors  all  that  could  be  made  access- 
ible.   Its  collection  is  gathered  from  all  over  the  world. 

The  University  of  California  furnishes  facilities  for 
instruction  in  science,  literature  and  the  professions  of 
Law,  Medicine,  Dentistry  and  Pharmacy.  In  the  col- 
leges at  Berkeley,  namely,  those  of  Letters,  Agricul- 
ture, Mining,  Mechanics,  Civil  Engineering,  Chemistry, 
Electrical  and  Mechanical  Engineering  and  Military 
Science,  these  privileges  are  offered  without  charge 
for  tuition  to  all  persons  qualified  for  admission.  The 
professional  colleges  in  San  Francisco  are  self-sustain- 
ing and  only  require  moderate  tuition  fees.  All 
courses  are  open  to  all  persons  without  distinction  of 
sex. 

Its  departments  of  instruction  comprise  the  follow- 
ing: 

I.  In  Berkeley: — (i)  The  College  of  Letters:  {a) 
Classical  Course;  ib)  Literary  Course;  {c)  Course  in 
Letters  and  Political  Science;  (2)  the  College  of  Agri- 
culture; (3)  the  College  of  Mechanics;  (4)  the  College 


of  Mining;  (5)  the  College  of  Ci\il  Engineering;  (6) 
the  College  of  Chemistry;  (7)  the  College  of  Electri- 
cal and  Mechanical  Engineering. 

II.  In  San  Francisco: — (i)  The  Hastings  College  of 
the  Law;  (2)  the  Toland  College  of  Medicine;  (3)  the 
College  of  Dentistry;  (4)  the  California  College  of 
Pharmacy. 

III.  In  Santa  Clara  County: — The  Lick  Astronom- 
ical Department  (Lick  Observatory,  Mount  Hamilton), 
with  a  graduate  School  in  Astronomy. 

The  total  endowment  of  the  University  of  Califor- 
nia is  nearly  $7,000,000.  The  cash  capital  is  $4,053,- 
824.57,  and  the  value  of  real  and  other  property, 
$2,899,954.72. 

The  Department  of  Military  Science  has  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  been  one  of  the  features  of  the  University 
of  California.  It  includes  two  hours  each  week  in 
tactical  instruction  in  the  field,  and  one  hour  a  week  in 
the  stud}'  of  military  science,  engineering,  fortifications, 
strategy,  tactics,  ordinance,  gunning,  military  law, 
courts  and  boards,  improvements  in  war,  study  of  the 
battles,  etc.  This  department  is  in  charge  of  an  offi- 
cer of  the  Regular  Army  of  the  United  States,  de- 
tailed for  that  purpose  by  the  Secretary  of  War.  Its 
standard  in  rank  is  No.  i  of  all  the  military  schools 
in  the  United  States.  It  i.s  composed  of  all  the  able- 
bodied  male  undergraduate  students  for  four  years  in 
the  colleges  at  Berkeley,  and  any  claiming  e.xemption 
are  required  to  undergo  medical  e.xamination.  Those 
over  twentv-four  years  of  age  and  foreigners  may  be 
excused.  The  battalion  last  year  comprised  three 
hundred  cadets,  divided  into  si.x  companies,  with  the 
necessary  field,  staff  and  company  officers,  commis- 
sioned by  the  Governor,  from  the  battalion,  under  the 
law  of  the  State.  The  course  of  instruction  pursued 
is  in  accordance  with  rules  prescribed  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  and  is  divided  into  a  Practical 
and  a  Theoretical  Course.  In  the  latter  part  of  April 
each  year  the  department  is  inspected  by  an  In- 
spector-General of  the  United  States  Army,  who  re- 
ports to  the  Secretary  of  War.  The  uniform  is  dark 
blue,  except  the  officers'  trousers,  which  are  a  light 
blue. 

From  Mr.  James  Sutton,  the  Recorder  of  the  Fac- 
ulties of  the  University,  the  following  accurate  sta- 
tistics of  the  students  in  attendance  in  the  various  de- 
partments for  the  year  1892-93  were  obtained: — 

Men.    Women.  Totals. 


Departments. 


ACADEMIC 

Graduate  Students 

Undergraduate  Students 

PROFESSIONAL. 

Law 

Medicine 

Dentistry 

Pharmacy 

Lick  Astronomical  


Totals. 


31 
399 

iiS 
86 

114 
99 

4 


851 


40 

582 


114 
103 

4 


PLATE  8 


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PLE,D£e0TO,GAL. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


19 


There  is  no  tuition  charged  at  the  seven  colleges 
situated  in  Berkeley,  viz.:  The  Colleges  of  Agriculture, 
Mechanics,  Mining,  Chemistry,  Engineering,  and  Let- 
ters. Small  tuition  fees  are  charged  students  in  the 
colleges  of  Law,  Medicine  Dentistry,  and  Pharmacy 
in  San  Francisco.  The  only  other  Universities  of  the 
larger  class  in  the  United  States  that  do  not  charge 
tuition  are  the  Leland  Stanford  Jr.,  at  Palo  Alto,  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  Kansas  University,  though  the  charges 
at  the  Michigan  and  several  others  are  light. 

In  an  article  recently  written  by  Miss  Millicent  W. 
Shinn,  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  California,  the 
following  comparisons  of  the  great  Universities  are 
made,  with  reference  to  capital,  income,  teachers,  and. 
students. 

Total  wealth  of  (i  i  Columbia  College,  $18,000,000; 
(2)  Harvard,  $16,700,000;  (3)  Yale,  $11,000,000;  (4) 
Michigan,  $9,000,000;  (5)  California,  $8,130,720;  (6) 
Cornell,  $8,000,000;  (7)  Pennsylvania,  $6,800,000. 
The  annual  incomes  from  these  are  estimated  at  $1,- 
026,738  for  Harvard ;  Columbia,  $800,000;  Yale,  $499,- 
720;  Michigan,  $400,000;  Cornell,  $350,000;  California, 
$306,661,  and  Pennsylvania,  $275,000.  The  Universi- 
ties of  Wisconsin,  City  of  New  York,  Boston,  Ne- 
braska, Johns  Hopkins,  and  Vanderbilt  she  finds  range 
in  incomes  from  $101,500  to  $82,987.  Mi.ss  Shinn 
says  she  can  find  no  financial  statements  fi'om  Prince- 
ton College,  nor  from  the  Leland  Stanford  Jr.  Univer- 
sity, but  as  near  as  she  could  ascertain,  these  two 
and  the  Chicago  University  have  incomes  between 
$100,000  and  $200,000.  In  a  comparative  table, 
showing  the  number  of  students,  Miss  Shinn  places 
the  University  of  California  as  seventh  in  the  list,  with 
one  thousand  and  seventy-nine  for  1892,  with  Michi- 
igan  University  at  the  head,  having  two  thousand  six 
hundred  and  ninety-three  students.  California  stands 
fifth  in  the  list  as  regards  teachers,  having  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-four;  Harvard  leads  the  list,  with  two 
hundred  and  fifty-three,  Columbia,  two  hundred  and 
twenty-six ;  Yale,  two  hundred  and  twenty-five,  and 
Pennsylvania,  two  hundred  and  seven;  Michigan,  with 
more  than  double  the  students,  compared  with  Califor- 
nia, has  only  one  hundred  and  forty-nine  instructors. 
The  proportion  of  graduate  students  to  the  under- 
graduate and  professional  in  the  University  of  Califor- 
nia is  the  same  as  that  of  Michigan,  Boston,  and 
Wisconsin,  and  is  one  per  cent  below  Yale  and  Penn- 
sylvania, four  per  cent  below  Harvard,  seven  per  cent 
below  Cornell,  and  nine  per  cent  below  Columbia. 

The  opening  of  the  great  Leland  Stanford  Jr.  Uni- 
versity at  Palo  Alto  has  had  no  injurious  effect  upon 
the  University  of  California,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
student  roll  of  the  State  Institution  shows  a  larger  in- 
crease during  the  past  two  }-ears  than  ever  before. 


INSTITUTION    FOR    DEAF    AND    DUMB    AND 
THE  BLIND. 

An  account  of  the  origin  and  purpose  of  the  State  School. 

The  special  education  necessary  to  the  deaf  and 
dumb  and  the  blind,  has  been  munificently  provided 
for  b)'  the  State,  at  the  Berkelej'  Institution.  Such 
children  as  are  imfortunate  enough  to  be  deprived  of 
either  of  the  senses  of  sight  or  hearing  are  there  pro- 
vided for,  free  of  all  cost. 

The  State  Institution  is  as  much  a  part  of  the  public- 
school  system  of  California  as  is  the  State  University. 
Founded  by  a  committee  of  ladies,  on  the  17th  of 
March,  i860,  the  Institution  grew  year  by  year,  until, ' 
in  1864,  the  Legislature  assumed  complete  control, 
and  appointed  a  State  Board  of  Trustees. 

On  December  i,  1865,  Mr.  Warring  Wilkinson,  of 
the  New  York  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb, 
entered  upon  the  duties  of  Superintendent,  which 
position  he  still  retains,  Since  that  time  the  school 
has  experienced  many  vicissitudes  of  fortune. 

At  the  Legislative  session  of  1866,  a  commission  to 
purchase  a  tract  and  erect  suitable  buildings  was  ap- 
pointed. The  Commissioners  organized  on  the  1 0th 
of  April,  1866,  and  bids  for  sites  were  immediately 
advertised,  in  various  and  widely-circulated  papers. 
After  mature  deliberation,  the  Commissioners  unani- 
mously selected  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  thirty . 
acres,  known  as  the  Kearney  farm.  This  site  is  lo- 
cated on  the  foothills  above  Berkeley,  four  and  a  half 
miles  to  the  north  of  the  city  of  Oakland.  It  pos- 
sesses a  sulubrious  climate,  devoid  of  the  sharp  winds 
of  San  Francisco,  and  the  extreme  heat  of  the  inte- 
rior valleys.  It  commands  a  magnificent  view  of  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco  and  the  Golden  Gate,  and  its 
location  cannot  be  surpassed  for  health,  or  for  the 
beauty  of  its  surroundings. 

A  fine  stone  building  was  erected,  and  occupied  in 
the  autumn  of  1869.  This  edifice  had  the  misfortune 
to  be  destroyed  by  fire  on  Sunday  afternoon,  January 
I7i  1^75-  A  temporary  wooden  building  was  erected 
on  the  same  site,  until  an  appropriation  could  be  ob- 
tained from  the  Legislature  for  new  permanent  build- 
ings. The  Legislature,  at  the  session  of  1875,  set 
aside  $1 10,000  for  that  purpose. 

The  loss  of  the  previous  building,  by  fire,  was 
deemed  of  sufficient  weight  to  justify  the  Board  of 
Directors  in  adopting  the  plan  of  segregated  build- 
ings. These  were  erected  upon  designs  executed  by 
Messrs.  Wright  and  Sanders,  of  San  Francisco.  This 
system  permits  additions  to  be  easily  made  to  the  In- 
stitution, as  necessity  may  require.  The  buildings  at 
present  consist  of  a  fine  central  Educational  building. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM   OF   ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


Avhich  contains,  in  addition  to  the  class  rooms,  a  mag- 
nificent Assembly  Hall,  Librar}',  Art  Galler}-,  and 
Executive  offices.  This  and  all  the  buildings  are 
constructed  of  massive  red  brickwork,  upon  heavy 
foundations  of  blue  stone,  ornamented  with  granite 
abutments,  cornices,  and  sills. 

To  the  rear  of  the  Educational  building  is  the  Re- 
fectory, containing  a  great  dining  hall,  pantries,  store- 
rooms, and  a  splendid  kitchen.  Beneath  the  Refec- 
tory is  a  fine  Gymna.sium,  fitted  with  the  improved 
apparatus  supplied  by  Dr.  Sargent,  of  Harvard.  These 
buildings  are  flanked  by  four  homes,  which  serve  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  pupils  and  teachers.  All 
.are  fireproof,  and  perfect  in  sanitation.  In  the  rear 
of  this  collection  is  a  bakeshop  and  a  cooking  school, 
where  the  girls  are  trained  in  the  art  of  cookery.  Near 
by  stands  a  complete  steam  laundry,  an  engine  house, 
and  an  electric-light  plant.  Still  farther  in  the  back- 
ground are  the  carpenter  shops,  and  the  printing  of- 
fice, where  a  weekly  paper  is  set  up  and  published  by 
the  pupils.  Fine  playgrounds,  lawns,  and  flower  beds 
give  ample  scope  for  the  amusement  and  delectation 
of  the  scholars  outdoors.  Several  large  orchards 
furnish  a  good  supply  of  fruits,  a  large  kitchen  garden 
supplying  its  quota  of  vegetables,  while  a  magnificent 
herd  of  Holstein-Jerseys  provides  the  Institution  with 
milk  and  cream. 

The  education  of  the  deaf  mutes  is  conducted  upon 
the  now  generally-accepted  Combined  System,  which 
includes  instruction  by  the  aid  of  signs  and  the  Man- 
ual Alphabet,  and  also  a  course  of  articulation  and  lip 
reading.  The  school  course  follows  very  closely  that 
which  is  pursued  in  the  ordinary  public,  grammar,  and 
high  schools.  After  graduation,  several  of  the  pupils 
have  entered  and  completed  courses  in  the  University. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  school  work,  the  Insti- 
tution possesses  all  the  requirements  of  a  technical  In- 
stitute. The  male  pupils  receive  tuition  in  carpenter- 
ing, cabinet  work,  printing,  and  gardening,  whilst  all 
are  eligible  for  instruction  in  drawing.  One  of  the 
graduates  has  already  received  high  honors  in  the 
World  of  Art.  Mr.  Douglas  Tilden  was  awarded  the 
certificate  of  Honorable  Mention  at  the  French  Salon 
in  1889.  The  girls,  both  the  blind  and  the  deaf,  take 
lessons  in  cookery  from  a  certified  instructor. 

The  blind  are  trained  in  piano  and  organ  playing, 
voice  culture,  and  typewriting.  The  Institution  pos- 
sesses a  great  pipe  organ,  the  gift  of  Messrs.  Wright 
&.  Sanders,  the  architects  of  the  buildings.  The  deaf 
girls  receive  lessons  in  sewing.  The  pupils  have  also 
a  perfectly-organized  Literary  Association,  known  as 
the  De  I'Epee  Society,  as  well  as  first-class  baseball 
and  football  clubs.     Several  scholarships  from  private 


bequests  are  available  for  the   assistance   of  deserving 
pupils. 

The  past  year  had  a  combined  attendance  of  fully  two 
hundred  scholars.  Mr.  Warring  Wilkinson,  the  Prin- 
cipal, is  assisted  by  an  efficient  and  enthusiastic  corps 
of  instructors. 

The  affairs  of  the  Institution  are  under  the  manage- 
ment of  a  Board  of  Directors,  appointed  by  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State,  and  consisting  of  W.  C.  Bartlett, 
LL.D.,  President;  Rev.  J.  K.  McLean,  D.  D,,  Vice 
President;  ex-Governor  G.  C.  Perkins,  Messrs.  John 
W.  Coleman,  Warren  Olney,  and  W.  L.  Prather,  Sec- 
retary and  Treasurer. 

Alameda  County  is  highly  favored  in  having  this 
truly  magnificent  school,  second  to  none  of  its  kind  in 
the  world,  situated  in  its  midst;  and  the  Institution  of- 
fers a  strong  inducement  to  parents  with  deaf  or  blind 
children,  to  make  the  county  their  home. 

F.  O'D. 

See  plate  No.  1 1 . 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

The  pride  of  the  American  people  is  the  free  public 
school  system.  Germany,  with  its  compulsory  sys- 
tem of  education,  under  governmental  control,  cannot 
compare  with  the  free  public  school  system  of  the 
United  States.  In  the  matter  of  education,  California, 
one  of  the  younger  States  in  the  great  federation,  is 
abreast  of  the  times  and  behind  none  of  her  sisters. 
This  was  shown  by  her  teachers  and  scholars  during 
the  visit  of  the  National  Educational  Convention  to 
California  a  few  years  since.  Alameda  County  ranks 
as  one  of  the  highest  in  the  great  western  common- 
wealth, both  in  the  examination  of  its  public  school- 
teachers and  in  the  grade  of  its  schools,  while  Oak- 
land, the  county  seat,  has  for  years  been  called  the 
Athens  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  in  deference  to  its  learn- 
ing and  culture.  The  statistics  of  the  county  show 
that  of  the  census  children  an  exceedingly  small  per 
cent  do  not  attend  some  school — public,  private,  or 
parochial. 

There  are  in  the  county,  outside  of  the  cities  of  Oak- 
land, Berkeley,  and  Alameda,  fifty  public  school  dis- 
tricts, governed  by  Boards  of  School  Trustees  chosen 
by  the  electors  of  the  districts.  In  round  numbers 
there  is  an  aggregate  number  of  eight  thousand 
school  census  children  in  these  districts.  The  enroll- 
ment in  the  public  schools  in  these  outside  districts 
shows  about  eighty  per  cent,  with  an  average  daily 
attendance  of  sixty  per  cent.  In  these  districts  there 
are  three  Union  High  Schools,  created  under  an  Act 
of  the  State  Legislature  of    1S91.     Number  One    of 


Illustrated  album  of  alameda  county. 


these  is  located  at  Livermore,  Murray  Township,  and 
embraces  advanced  pupils  from  nine  school  districts. 
Number  Two  is  at  Centerville,  Washington  Township, 
and  includes  ten  school  districts.  Union  High  School, 
Nunber  Three,  is  located  at  Hayward,  Eden  Township, 
with  six  school  districts.  In  nearly  all  the  schools  are 
grammar  grades.  Eight  of  them  have  more  than 
three  departments  and  seventeen  of  them  have  more 
than  one  department.  There  are  grammar  grades  in 
upward  of  forty  of  them.  School  is  maintained  in  all 
for  ten  months  in  each  year.  The  average  salary  paid 
to  teachers  is  $yo  per  month  for  the  ten  months.  Tlie 
number  of  teachers  in  the  fifty  public  school  districts 
is  one  hundred  and  twenty-two. 

The  present  revenue  of  the  public  schools  of  Ala- 
meda County,  as  given  by  the  County  Superintend- 
ent, George  W.  Prick,  and  City  Superintendents,  J. 
W.  McClymonds  and  D.  J.  Sullivan,  of  Oakland  and 
Alameda,  is  as  follows: — 


Oakland  . 
Alameda. 
Berkeley.. 
Outside.. . 


Totals |t03.356 


County  Ta.x.jState  Tax.  District  Tax 


I  .50,984  $146,881 

12,004  34.176 

6,079  17,020 

34,289  100,867 


$298.944 


^112,526 
20,446 


49.17S 


$182,250 


The  total  expenses  for  the  past  }'ear  for  the  public 
Bchools  of  the  county  were  as  follows:, — 

Oakland ,^3 '9.734 

Alameda 8 1 ,873 

Berkeley 24,919 

Outside  districts .137,492 


Total ^564,018 

The  school  tax  rate  for  the  county  was  ten  cents  on 
the  $100  valuation.  The  Oakland  rate  was  twenty- 
se\'en  cents  additional,  which  includes  five  cents  for 
scluHil  bond  redemption  and  interest. 

h'\'ery  school  district  in  the  county  has  a  school  lot 
and  building,  and  seventy-five  per  cent  of  these  are 
above  the  average  country  schoolhouses,  being  good 
buildings  with  large  ornamented  grounds  Ten  or 
twelve  of  the  schoolhouses  are  almost  entirely  new 
and  are  of  the  most  modern  construction.  Only  about 
a  dozen  are  small  structures,  unadorned  and  with  un- 
ornamented  grounds,  and  these  will  not  long  remain 
so,  as  the  matter  of  larger  grounds  and  new  buildings 
is  being  agitated.  The  total  aggregate  value  of  the 
real  property  and  improvements  in  these  outside  dis- 
tricts is  ;^284,924.  Over  every  district  schoolhouse, 
or  from  a  flag  pole  in  their  yard,  floats  the  stars  and 
stripes,  and  the  children  are  taught  loyalty  to  the 
government  under  which  they  live.  Each  school  dis- 
trict has  a  library,  and  a  certain  amount  of  the  annual 
tax  is  set  aside  for  additions  to  the  libraries. 


The  annexed  tableshows  the  value  of  the  school 
property  ofthecount)^  up  to  January  i,  1893,  includ- 
ing real  estate  and  improvements,  libraries,  and  appa- 
ratus. 


Localities. 

Real  Estate  and 
Improvements. 

Libraries. 

Apparatus- 

"$492,040 
190,000 

25,OCO 

262,205 

1  3.300 

900 

275 

14.509 

$6,000 

989 

250 

8,210 

Total   

$969,245 

I18.984 

$15,469 

*NoTE. — The  impi-ovemenis  in  the  Oakland  school  property  during 
93  will  bring  its  value  up  to  about  $1,500,000. 

The  total  value  of  the  .school  property  in  the  county 


Oakland ^1,001,340 

Alameda 191,889 

Berkeley 25,525 

Outside  districts 284,924 


Total ;$  1, 503,678 


PRIVATE  INSTITUTIONS  OF  LEARNING. 

There  are  a  number  of  private  educational  institu- 
tions in  Alameda  County,  where  collegiate  and  aca- 
demic educations  may  be  obtained  by  those  desiring  to 
send  their  children  to  these  institutions  rather  than 
to  those  of  the  State  or  county. 

Prominent  among  them  is  Mills  College,  founded 
nearly  thirty  years  ago,  by  the  late  Rev.  C.  T.  Mills, 
D.  D.,  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Susan  L.  Mills,  as  a  seminary 
for  young  ladies.  It  is  situated  on  e.xtensive  grounds 
in  Brooklyn  Township,  about  five  miles  east  of  the 
center  of  Oakland,  and  is  reached  by  two  lines  of 
steam  railroad,  as  well  as  by  an  electric  street  railway. 
In  1877  it  was  endowed  largely  by  Dr.  Mills  and  Mrs. 
Mills  and  incorporated  as  a  college,  and  its  property 
is  held  by  a  Board  of  Trustees,  for  the  Christian, 
but  unsectarian,  education  of  3'oung  women.  Its  cur 
riculum  embraces  the  usual  college  courses.  Its 
graduates  number-  hundreds  and  are  settled  all  over 
the  Union  as  well  as  in  other  lands.  The  annual  .at- 
tendance is  about  two  hundred.  It  has  been  under 
the  management,  since  the  death  of  Dr.  Mills,  princi- 
pally of  Mrs.  Mills,  with  the  trustees.  She  is  now 
the  President  of  the  Institution. 

At  Irvington,  on  the  line  of  railroad  between  Oak- 
laud  and  San  Jose,  and  within  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
of  the  old  Mission  of  San  Jose,  the  site  of  the  first 
Spanish  and  American  settlement  in  the  county,  is 
the  Washington  College  for  boys  and  girls.  It  in- 
cludes a  preparatory  and  a  commercial  department, 
as  well  as  the  collegiate.  For  a  time  it  was  under 
the  control  of  the  members  of  the  Christian  Church 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


and  its  teachings  were  slightly  sectarian  in  that  line, 
but  of  late  years  it  has  been  unsectarian,  while  evan- 
gelically Christian  in  its  teaching.  Its  attendance  has 
been  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five. 

At  Livermore  is  situated  the  Livermore  College,  an 
institution  similar  to  the  one  at  Irvington,  for  the  ed- 
ucation of  both  sexes.  It  has  an  annual  attendance  of 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  and  graduates  a 
class  every  year,  many  of  the  graduates  being  from 
distant  points.  It  is  under  the  superintendence  of 
Professor  J.  D.  Smith,  who  is  the  President  of  the  Col- 
lege. 

Within  the  boundaries  of  the  City  of  Oalcland  are 
a  number  of  private  educational  institutions.  One  of 
the  oldest  of  these  is  the  Field  Seminary,  on  Telegraph 
Avenue,  established  by  Miss  Harriet  Field  in  1870. 
It  is  called  a  home  school  for  girls.  It  is  now  under 
the  principalship  of  Mrs.  W.  B.  Hyde. 

The  Snell  Seminary,  on  Twelfth  Street,  near  Cla}-, 
is  also  a  school  for  young  ladies  that  is  very  popular 
and  annually  graduates  a  large  class  of  young  women 
prepared  for  the  active  duties  of  life.  Richard  B.  and 
Miss  Mary  E.  Snell  are  the  principals. 

A  school  for  young  men  is  that  of  the  Hopkins 
Academy,  under  Profes.sor  W.  W.  Anderson,  as  prin- 
cipal. It  is  situated  between  Thirty-second  and  Thirt)'- 
fourth  Screets,  New  Broadway,  and  Telegraph  Avenue. 
The  graduates  are  admitted  to  the  State  University 
without  entrance  examination.  It  was  endowed  by 
the  late  Moses  Hopkins  some  years  ago  and  Mrs. 
Hopkins  promises  another  endowment.  The  trustees 
are  looking  for  a  larger  site. 

The  Pacific  Theological  Seminary,  the  denomina- 
tional school  of  the  Congregational  Churclies  of 
Northern  and  Central  California,  for  the  education  of 
\-oung  men  for  the  ministry,  is  also  situated  in  Oak- 
Imd,  on  grounds  adjoining  the  Hopkins  Academy. 
It  has  a  full  faculty  and  contains  the  usual  chairs  of 
such  an  institution,  and  each  year  graduates  a  class  of 
young  men  fully  equipped  and  prepared  for  the  Chris- 
tian ministry.  During  the  present  year  efforts  are  be- 
ing made  to  increase  the  endowments  and  facilities  of 
the  Seminary. 

About  tvifenty-eight  years  ago  Archbishop  Alemany, 
of  San  Francisco,  founded  a  school  for  boys,  which 
was  carried  on  by  the  clergy  of  the  church,  under  his 
supervision,  for  eight  or  ten  years.  It  was  then  trans- 
ferred to  the  care  of  the  Order  of  Christian  Brothers, 
and  was  conducted  by  them  in  the  outskirts  of  San 
Francisco,  near  the  Mission  road.  In  1888  the  corner- 
stone of  a  new  structure  was  laid  on  New  Broadway, 
Oakland,  and  a  magnificent  building,  complete  in  all 


its  appointments,  five  stories  in  height,  erected.  In 
1 89 1  the  school  was  transferred  to  this  building.  Its 
curriculum  embraces  the  usual  classical,  scientific,  and 
literary  college  courses.  There  is  also  a  preparatory 
school  and  commercial  course.  An  exhibit  from  this 
college  and  model  of  the  building  is  on  exhibition  at 
the  Columbian  Exposition. 

The  California  College,  at  Highland  Park,  Oakland, 
is  the  denominational  college  of  the  Baptist  Church.  It 
is  also  a  preparatory  school  for  the  denominational 
theological  seminar\^  It  has  the  usual  academic  and 
college  courses. 

Aside  from  the  colleges,  seminaries,  and  academies 
mentioned,  there  are  also  two  commercial  colleges, 
where  special  education  is  given  for  commercial  busi- 
ness. One  of  these  is  the  Oakland  Business  College 
and  Institute  of  Penmanship,  on  Clay  Street,  near 
Ele\enth,  conducted  by  Professor  O.  J.  Willis.  The 
other  is  situated  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  building,  at  Clay  and 
Twelfth  Streets,  conducted  by  Professor  J.  H.  A)'de- 
lotte.  Both  these  schools  have  large  classes  in  the 
usual  commercial  school  courses. 


CHAPTER    IV. 
MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 

Salt  Works— Beet  Sugar  Factory — Soap,  Iron,  and  Nail  Works 
—Car  Works — Agricultural  Works— Oil  Refineries— Paint 
Works — Cotton,  Jute,  Planing,  and  Flouring  Mills — Tile, 
Terra  Cotta,  and  Art  Pottery— Brick  Yards- Tanneries, 
etc. 

Nowhere  on   the  Pacific  Coast   is  there  a  situation 

better  adapted  to  the  erection  and  carrying  on   of  all 

kinds  of  manufactures  than  on  the  Alameda  County 

shores  of  the  Bay  of   San   Francisco,  and  along  the 

banks  of  the  estuary  of  San  Antonio,  or  Oakland  Creek. 

This   lias    been    exemplified    already  by   the  several 

industries  already  carrying  on  works  on  these  shores, 

and  there  are  still  hundreds  of  locations  suitable,  and 

with  the  rapid  growth  there  is   no  doubt  that    many 

more  of  these  sites  may  soon  be  occupied.     They  are 

near  rail  transportation,  as  well  as  being  close  to  deep 

water,  thus  handy  for  shipping  to  the  interior  or  east, 

as  well    as  loading  on  vessels    for     coast,    Mexican, 

South  American,    Hawaiian,    Australian   or    Oriental 

ports.     A  brief  account  will  be    given  of  some  of  the 

manufactories  and  works  already  established.     Some 

of  them  have  been  in  successful  operation  a  number 

of  years. 

MANUFACTURE  OF  SALT. 
A  Pioneer  Industry  of  Alameda  County  and  of  the  State. 
Alameda  County  is  the  pioneer  of  the  Pacific  Coast 
m   the  salt  industr)-  and   is  now  the    principal  place 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


23 


where  salt  is  gathered  in  CaUfornia.  As  early  as 
1850,  at  New  Haven,  now  Alvarado,  salt  deposits 
were  gathered,  and  for  a  long  time  the  entire  com- 
monwealth depended  upon  it  for  the  supply.  Its  out- 
put now  is  very  large  and  last  year  aggregated  thirty- 
seven, thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty  tons  or  thirty- 
seven  million  eight  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
pounds.  There  are  no  less  than  eighteen  different 
salt  beds  along  the  shores.  Of  these  that  of  the 
Solar  Salt  Company  of  B.  F.  Barton  is  shown  in  plate 
No.  21  of  this  album.  There  was  gathered  at  these 
beds  last  year  two  million  five  hundred  thousand 
pounds  of  salt.  His  works  are  at  Alvarado,  and  Hear 
his  works,  at  the  same  place,  are  four  others,  making 
from  five  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  tons  annually,  or 
an  aggregate  of  fifty-six  hundred  tons.  At  Newark 
there  is  only  one  firm  engaged,  but  it  gathers  and 
prepares  for  market  four  thousand  tons  of  salt.  At 
Russell's  Station  two  thousand  two  hundred  tons  are 
gathered  up  by  three  persons.  At  Mount  Eden  the 
largest  quantities  are  gathered,  one  company  prepar- 
ing twelve  thousand  tons  annually,  another  five  thou- 
sand, and  several  two  thousand  tons.  At  this  place 
last  year  twenty-two  thousand  tons  or  twenty-two 
million  pounds  were  gathered  up  and  prepared  for 
market. 

During  the  salt  season  over  two  hundred  la- 
borers are  employed;  one  steamer  and  seven  sailing 
vessels  are  kept  busy  transporting  the  salt  from  these 
beds,  which  range  along  the  shore  for  nearly  eight 
miles.  This  salt  is  sold  at  prices  ranging  frpm  ,$7.00 
to  $14  per  ton,  and  that  which  is  refined  by  the  larger 
companies  is  held  to  be  equal  to  the  best  Liverpool 
salt.  In  passing  along  the  railroad  between  San.Le- 
andro  and  Newark  it  is  an  interesting  sight  to  see  the 
great  white  pyramids  along  the  bay  shore.  The 
process  followed  is  that  of  spontaneous  evaporation  of 
the  water  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  similar  to  that 
used  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean.  A  large 
piece  of  land  varying  from  one  to  several  acres  barely 
above  high-water  mark  is  leveled,  and  in  some  in- 
stances puddled  with  clay  so  as  to  prevent  the  water 
from  percolating  and  sinking  away.  A  reservoir  is 
constructed  alongside  also  rendered  impervious,  in 
which  the  water  is  stored  and  allowed  to  settle  to  a 
certain  extent. 

The  prepared  land  is  partitioned  off  into  large 
basins  or  setting  reservoirs,  and  others,  smaller  in  size 
and  more  shallow,  to  receive  the  water  as  it  becomes 
more  and  more  concentrated,  sufficient  fall  being  al- 
lowed from  one  set  of  basins  to  the  other  to  cause  the 
water  to  flow  slowly  through  them.  This  sea  salt, 
after  the  water   has  been  all  drained  off,  is  then  col- 


lected into  small  heaps  or  rows  from  the  surface  of 
the  beds  by  means  of  a  wooden  scoop  or  scraper,  and 
is  allowed  to  stand  for  a  time  where  it  undergoes  a 
first  partial  purification,  the  more  deliquescent  salts 
(especially  the  magnesium  chloride)  being  allowed  to 
drain  away.  From  these  small  heaps  and  rows  it  is 
gathered  into  larger  ones  or  pyramids,  where  it  drains 
further  and  becomes  more  purified.  Some  of  the 
larger  companies  make  a  refined  product  by  taking  it 
to  the  refinery,  where  it  is  either  washed  and  stove 
dried,  or  dissolved  in  fresh  water  and  then  boiled 
down  .and  crystallized  like  that  made  from  the  rock 
salt  brine,  but  the  most  of  it  goes  into  commerce  just 
as  it  comes  from  the  large  heaps  and  pyramids  at  the 
salt  beds. 

The  Solar  Salt  Works  shown  in  plate  21  have  seven 
hundred  acres  of  marsh  land,  divided  into  reservoirs, 
settling  ponds,  and  crystallizing  vats.  The  capacity  is 
five  thousand  tons  yearly  of  crystalline  salt. 


MANUFACTURE  OF  SUGAR  FROM  BEETS. 

The  Pioneer  Beet  Sugar  Factory  of  the  United  States,  Located 
in  Alameda  County. 

The  pioneer  beet  sugar  factory  of  the  United  States 
was  erected  at  Alvarado,  Alameda  County,  California, 
in  1869,  with  a  capacity  of  sixty  tons  of  beets  daily. 
After  running  four  seasons,  at  a  great  loss,  the  ma- 
chinery was  removed  and  re-erected  at  Soquel,  Santa 
Cruz  County,  and  run  two  or  three  seasons  at  a  loss, 
when  it  was  closed  down.  In  1879  another  factor}' 
was  erected  at  Alvarado  by  E  H.  D3'er  &  Co.,  for  the 
Standard  Sugar  Company,  and  E.  H.  Dyer  appointed 
General  Manager.  It  commenced  operations  in  the 
fall  of  that  year.  Its  daily  capacity  was  eight}'  tons 
of  beets,  and  its  cost  about  $300,000.  In  the  first 
four  seasons  a  net  profit  of  1103,349.63  was  made. 
This  factory  was  run  eight  seasons,  when  the  works 
were  destroyed  by  a  boiler  explosion.  Owing  to  the 
low  prices  of  sugar,  the  profits  the  last  four  seasons 
were  very  small. 

In  the  year  1889,  E.  H.  Dyer  &  Co.  erected  an- 
other factory  at  Alvarado,  which  is  still  running. 
It  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  Sugar  Company,  and  had  a  daily  capacity  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  tons  of  beets.  In  1890  a  con- 
trolling interest  was  sold  to  San  Francisco  capitalists, 
who  re-incorporated  as  the  Alameda  Sugar  Company 
and  enlarged  the  works  to  a  daily  capacity  of  upward 
of  two  hundred  tons  of  beets.  The  cost  of  the  pres- 
ent works  was  about  ,$350,000.  The  officers  of  the 
company  are:  John  S.  Howard,  President;  James  Cof- 
fin, Secretary;  E.  C.  Burr,  Manager,  and  J.  W.  Atkin- 
son, Superintendent. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


There  are  hundreds  of  acres  in  Alameda  County 
suitable  for  the  cultivation  of  the  sugar  beet  for  profit. 
It  demands  a  soil  easy  to  till,  one  that  is  loose  and 
pliable,  but  not  too  sandy.  It  also  requires  proper 
preparation  before  and  cultivation  and  care  after 
planting.  The  best  results  have  been  obtained  bj-  a 
deep  plowing  a  month  or  two  previous  to  seeding, 
say  twelve  or  fourteen  inches,  or  with  two  plowings, 
the  first  about  nin.e  inches  and  a  second  sub.soil 
plowing  of  si.x  to  eight  inches  deeper.  The  plowing 
is  done  in  the  early  winter  so  that  the  atmospheric 
influences  destroy  the  cohesion  of  the  soil  and  at  the 
same  time  kill  any  insects  that  may  be  present. 

The  reason  for  the  deep  cultivation  is  that  the 
point  of  the  beet  root  ma)'  penetrate  the  earth  deeply 
without  resistance,  so  as  to  produce  as  few  rootlets  as 
possible,  and  form  a  beet  of  good  size  and  conical 
shape.  It  also  allows  it  to  develop  without  crowding 
itself  out  of  the  ground,  producing  better  in  weigiit 
and  in  percentage  of  suger.  The  seeding,  done  from 
early  in  March  to  May,  according  to  location— up- 
land or  lowland — must  be  carefully  done,  and  the 
best  results  are  said  to  be  obtained  where  the  seed  is 
only  covered  to  the  depth  of  half  an  inch  to  one  inch. 
The  cultivation  of  the  beet  requires  the  greatest  care, 
both  in  regard  to  keeping  out  the  weeds  and  in  work- 
ing the  soil.  They  mature  from  August  i  to  Oc- 
tober 15,  according  to  location  and  date  of  planting. 

The  largest  acreage  of  the  sugar  beet  in  Alameda 
County  is  near  Alvarado,  and  nearly  all  the  land  suit- 
able for  its  cultivation  in  that  vicinity  has  been  used 
for  the  purpose  at  different  periods  during  the  past 
twenty  years,  but  not  all  at  the  same  time.  It  was  at 
first  difficult  to  get  the  farmers  to  understand  the  ne- 
cessity of  carefiil  cultivation  (the  company  does  not 
cultivate  the  beets  ,  and  the  consequence  was  a  less 
price  received  b\'  them  and  less  percentage  in  sif^ar. 
The  average  price  paid  at  the  Alvarado  factory  is 
about  $5.00  per  ton.  From  ten  to  fifteen  tons  are 
produced  on  an  acre,  thus  averaging  from  S50  to  S75 
to  the  farmer,  less  the  expense  of  farm  labor,  etc.  A 
few  hundred  acres  were  planted  to  beets  near  Pleas- 
anton  last  season  and  the  product  was  handled  at  the 
factory  at  Alvarado. 

The  Alameda  Sugar  Factory  at  Alvarado  turns 
out,  when  running  full  blast,  day  and  night,  with  two 
shifts  of  hands,  forty  thousand  to  fifty  thousand  pounds 
of  white  sugar  daily.  Eighty  men  are  employed  in 
the  factory  in  the  various-  departments,  and  during  the 
last  season,  between  September  15  and  December 
25,  fifteen  thousand  tons,  or  thirty  million  pounds, 
of  beets  were  handled,  two  hundred  to  two  hundred 
and  fifty  tons    per    day,  and  fifteen  hundred  tons  or 


three  million  pounds  of  white  sugar  turned  out.  The 
last  season  was  considered  a  good  one  for  the  farmers 
and  the  factory.  Several  tons  of  beets,  grown  near 
Antioch,  Contra  Costa  Count)-,  were  shipped  to  the 
factory  at  Alvarado  last  year. 

The  works  are  situated  on  Alameda  Creek,  a  small 
stream  which  runs  down  from  the  foothills  and  emp- 
ties into  San  Francisco  Ba)\  but  is  not  navigable.  It 
is  also  on  the  line  of  the  South  Pacific  Coast  Division 
(narrow  gauge)  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Company's 
system. 

The  process  used  at  the  factor)'  at  Ah'arado  is 
known  as  the  diffusion  process.  The  beets  used  are 
a  highly  cultivated  variety  of  the  Beta  Maritima  (sea 
beet),  natural  order  Cfioiopodacecs,  the  seeds  of  which 
are  imported  from  Germany  and  France,  where  the 
greatest  care  is  e.xercised  in  the  production,  with  a 
view  to  obtaining  beets  with  the  highest  percentage  of 
sugar.  This  ranges  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  per  cent, 
but  the  average  beets  produce  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
l)er  cent  ofsugar.  There  are  at  least  fifteen  different 
varieties  grown  in  California,  and  se\'eral  of  these  are 
shown  in  jars  in  the  Alameda  County  Exhibit,  as  well 
as  the  sugar  at  different  stages  of  its  manufacture  at 
the  Alvarada  factor)'.  The  varieties  mostly  used  in 
Alameda  County  are  the  Klein-VVauzleben,  white; 
Vilmorin,  white;  White  Silesian  and  Improved  Im- 
perial, rose  and  white. 

The  limit  of  the  average  composition  of  the  sugar 
beet  is  given  below: — 

Water Juice .  .  84. 5  to  70.0 

Sugar  and  other  soluble  bodies  |  j,    ..        I  1 1.5  to  17.0 
Cellulo.se  and  other  solids  . .  .  .  j'  ^°''<J'"-  "j    ^  q  f,j    ^  q 

The  non-.saccharine  solids  in  the  juice  are  \erv 
comple.x,  embracing  albumen,  amido-acids  and  other 
nitrogenous  bodies,  beet-root  gum,  soluble  pectdre, 
compounds,  fat,  coloring  matter,  with  the  phosphates, 
sulphates,  oxatates,  and  citrates  of  potash,  soda,  iron, 
lime,  and  silica. 

The  process  of  manufacture  of  sugar  from  the  beet 
is  an  exceedingly  interesting  one,  when  it  is  consid- 
ered that  at  no  period,  from  the  moment  the  juice  is 
taken  from  the  beet  until  it  reaches  the  \acuum  pan, 
where  it  is  boiled,  does  it  remain  more  than  five  min- 
utes in  any  one  place,  but  is  kept  constantly  moving. 
It  will  sour  in  less  than  half  an  hour  if  allowed  to  stop 
anywhere  during  the  process. 

The  beets  are  pulled  up  and  sacked  in  the  field, 
then  hauled  in  wagons  by  the  farmer  to  the  factory, 
weighed  and  dumped  in  long  bin-like  shed.s,  which 
have  a  water  trough,  or  flume,  running  along  under- 
neath the  center.  When  the  water  is  turned  on,  the 
beets  are  carried  b)'  it  into  a  tank  in  the  lower  part  of 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


25 


the  factory,  where  they  are  washed  by  a  revolving 
wheel,  carried  by  it  to  an  elevator,  which  conducts 
them  to  the  slicing  machine,  in  which  a  large  drum  or 
cylinder,  armed  with  close  set  rows  of  blades  revolv- 
ing with  great  rapidity  slices  them  up  into  strips  about 
one-eighth  of  an  inch  square  and  differing  in  length 
from  two  to  six  inches,  according  to  the  size  of  tiie 
beet.  The  slices  are  then  conducted  to  the  diffusion 
battery,  which  consists  of  twelve  cells,  or  diffusers,  ar- 
ranged in  circular  form,  nine  being  in  use,  while  the 
other  three  are  being  emptied,  cleaned,  and  refilled. 
A  brief  description  of  the  diffusion  process  might  well 
be  added  at  this  point.  This  process  for  obtaining 
the  juice  depends  on  the  action  of  dialysis,  in  which 
two  liquids  of  different  degrees  of  concentration,  sep- 
■  arated  by  a  membrane,  tend  to  transfuse  through  the 
membrane  until  the  equilibrium  of  solution  is  attained. 
In  the  beet  the  cell  walls  are  membranes  inclosing  a 
solution  of  sugar.  The  theory  of  the  process  is  that 
if  these  cells  be  brought  into  contact  with  pure  water, 
and  that  they  contain  twelve  per  cent  of  sugar,  trans- 
fusion will  go  on  until  an  equal  weight  of  water  con- 
tains six  per  cent  of  sugar,  while  by  the  passage  of 
water  into  the  cell  the  juice  there  is  reduced  to  the 
same  density.  Taking  the  six  per  cent  water  solu- 
tion, and  with  it  treating  fresh  roots  or  slices,  contain- 
ing twelve  per  cent  of  sugar,  a  nine  per  cent  solution 
will  be  attained,  which  on  being  brought  a  third  time 
in  contact  with  fresh  roots,  could  be  raised  to  a  den- 
sity often  and  five-tenths.  According  to  this,  theo- 
retically, seven-eighths  of  the  whole  sugar  would  be 
obtained  at  the  third  operation,  and  on  this  is  based 
the  process  of  diffusion. 

The  diffusers  mentioned  are  large,  close,  upright 
cylinders,  each  capable  of  holding  two  or  three  tons  of 
sliced  beets.  They  are  provided  with  manholes 
above,  perforated  false  bottoms,  and  pipes  communi- 
cating with  each  other,  so  that  the  fluid  contents  of 
any  one  can  be  forced  by  pressure  into  any  other.  In 
working  the  process,  pure  water  from  an  elevated 
tank  is  run  into  No.  i  cylinder,  which  contains  the 
sliced  beets  almost  exhausted  of  their  soluble  con- 
tents; it  percolates  the  mass,  and  by  pressure  passes 
into  No.  2,  where  it  acts  on  slices  richer  in  juice. 
From  No.  2  it  goes  on  through  the  entire  series,  ac- 
quiring density  in  its  progress,  and  in  each  successive 
cylinder  meeting  slices  increasingly  rich  in  juices. 
Prior  to  its  entering  the  last  cylinder,  the  watery  juice 
is  heated,  and  under  the  combined  influence  of  heat 
and  pressure,  becomes  richly  charged  with  sugar. 
No.  I  cylinder,  when  exhausted,  is  disconnected,  and 
the  pulp  passes  to  a  steam  press,  where  all  the  re- 
maining water  is  expressed,  and  it  is  carried  outside 


the  building  and  hauled  away  by  the  farmers  for  fod- 
der. No.  2  cylinder  becomes  No.  i,  and  a  newly- 
charged  cylinder  is  added  on,  and  thus  the  operation 
goes  on  continuously  during  the  entire  season,  night 
and  day.  It  is  said  that  it  requires  t>vo  weeks'  instruc- 
tion to  enable  a  man  to  properly  understand  the 
handling  of  a  diffusion  battery. 

From  the  diffusion  battery  the  juice  passes  into  a 
large  tank,  where  it  is  heated  by  steam  vapor  and 
passes  to  the  carbolization  process,  where  carbonic 
acid  and  lime  are  added  to  clarify  it.  It  passes 
through  three  of  these  processes,  and  after  the  third 
carbolization,  goes  into  the  filter  process,  where,  pass- 
ing through  three  of  these,  the  lime  is  extracted,  and 
the  clear,  pure,  but  thin  and  watery  juice  is  carried 
into  a  series  of  closed  vessels,  or  tanks,  called  the 
quadruple  effect,  where  it  is  thickened.  These  tanks 
are  provided  internally  with  a  series  of  closed  pipes  for 
steam  vapor  heating,  the  steam  passing  by  a  pipe 
from  the  first  one  into  the  worm  of  the  second  and  so 
on  to  the  third  and  fourth.  The  thickened  juice 
passes  from  the  fourth  tank  of  the  quadruple  effect 
into  a  reservoir  and  from  there  is  drawn  into  a  large 
closed  tank  on  the  fourth  floor  of  the  factory,  called 
the  vacuum  pan,  in  which  it  is  boiled  about  four 
hours  at  a  low  temperature.  This  pan  is  a  closed 
globular  vessel,  in  which  by  the  aid  of  a  condenser 
and  air  pump,  a  vacuum  is  maintained  over  the  boiling 
juice,  and  the  boiling  point  is  lowered  in  proportion 
to  the  decrease  of  air  pressure.  This  immense  vessel 
will  hold  about  thirty  tons  of  the  thickened  juice. 
When  it  has  been  sufficiently  crystallized,  the  boiled- 
down  juice,  being  a  grainy  mass  of  crystals  floating  in 
fluid  syrup,  then  called  "magma,"  is  transferred  to 
the  mixing  pans,  which  are  kept  constantly  moving  to 
prevent  solidifying,  and  from  these  is  fed  into  the 
drums    or   buckets    of  the  centrifugal  machines. 

A  small  quantity  is  dropped  into  these  machines 
and  they  are  set  in  motion,  revolving  at  a  high  rate 
of  speed,  which  separates  the  crystals  and  sirup,  the 
latter  being  driven  through  the  meshes  of  the  basket, 
while  the  crystals  remain  on  the  meshed  walls.  For 
the  further  cleaning  of  the  sugar  crystals,  water  is 
sprinkled  upon  them  from  a  hose  while  the  machine  is 
in  motion.  The  sirup  is  returned  for  reboiling  and 
the  sugar  passes  into  receptacles,  frorn  whence  it  is 
conducted  to  the  drier,  a  revolving  steam  drum,  and 
comes  out  a  pure,  dry,  granulated  white  sugar,  which 
is  placed  in  one  hundred  pound  sacks  or  in  barrels 
for  the  market. 

From  the  second  boiling  of  the  sirup,  a  brown 
sugar  is  made,  hut  it  is  in  turn  worked  over  and  man- 
ufactured into  white.     The  final  molasses,  or  tailing's. 


26 


LLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY 


is  a  highl)'  impure  mixture  of  crystallizable  potash 
and  other  salts,  smelling  and  tasting  strongly  of  its 
beet  origin.  No  attempt  is  made  at  the  Alvarado 
factory,  on  account  of  the  high  price  of  fuel,  etc.,  to 
recover  the  large  amount  of  sugar,  forty  to  fifty  per 
cent,  contained  in  this  molasses,  though  in  Germany 
and  France  several  methods  are  employed,  one  being 
by  fermenting  and  distilling  from  it  an  impure  spirit 
for  industrial  purposes. 

In  the  process  a  great  deal  of  lime  is  used,  and  the 
company  burn  their  own  limestone,  using  fifteen  tons 
daily  at  their  kiln. 


THE  ALAMEDA  BORAX  REFINERY. 

A   Picific  Coast   Product   Prepared   for   Market   in   Alameda 
County. 

At  Alameda  Transfer,  a  little  railroad  station  upon 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  the  Southern  Pacific  Com- 
pany switches  onto  the  side  track  of  the  Pacific  Coast 
Borax  Company's  Refinerj?  not  less  than  sex'en  or 
eight  car  loads  of  fifteen  tons  each  of  crude  borax 
every  week  in  the  year.  At  a  similar  rate  the  refined 
product  is  reshipped  either  by  car  or  upon  schooners 
from  the  end  of  the  little  wharf  During  the  period 
of  detention  of  this  material  at  the  works,  an  interest- 
ing chemical  romance  has  been  enacted.  "It  is  a 
story  of  fickle  affinities,  wherein,  as  often  happens 
with  such  affinities  elsewhere,  the  two  fickle  ones 
unite  in  a  waste  combination,  while  the  deserted 
ones  get  together  and  make  a  respectable  and  \-alua- 
ble  product." 

The  rough,  broken  masses  of  bi'own  colored  rock, 
a  borate  of  lime,  have  been  transformed  by  the  agency 
of  mechanical  energy,  and  the  wonderful  alchemy  of 
chemistry  into  beautiful,  translucent  crystals  of  pure 
borax,  a  staple  product  known  to  every  druggist  and 
grocer,  and  coming  into  use  in  every  household. 

Borax  is  distinctively  a  Pacific  Coast  product, 
being  found  nowhere  else  in  North  America.  Since 
the  important  discoveries  in  1873,  California  and  Ne- 
vada have  furnished  an  ample  supply  for  the  domestic 
consumption.  This  has  steadily  increased  from  five 
million  pounds  in  1876  to  fourteen  millions  in  1892, 
or  more  than  doubling  every  ten  years. 

It  is  to  the  credit  of  the  Pacific  Coast  producers 
that  the  price  has  steadily  declined,  till  now  borax  is 
not  only  within  the  reach  of  all,  but  one  of  the  cheap- 
est articles  of  household  economy.  This  is  the  more 
important  as  wherever  used  it  seems  to  become  indis- 
pensable. 

The  most  nqted  region  yielding  this  valuable  staple 
is  the  world-fenowned  Death  Valley,  in  Inyo  County. 


This  valley  lies  two  hundred  feet  below  sea  level,  and 
is  intensely  hot  and  dry,  though  not  necessarily  as 
deadly  as  has  been  supposed.  Borax  deposits  are 
usually  thinly  spread  over  the  surface  of  low  ground. 
The  Death  Valley  deposit  extends  upon  higher 
ground,  and  the  later  sources  of  main  supply  are  deep 
beneath  the  surface  At  Calico,  near  Dagget,  in  San 
Bernardino  County,  the  borate  of  lime  is  found  in 
ledges  or  veins  of  crystal,  which  require  mining  and 
pulverizing  before  the  borax  can  be  separated  from 
the  residuum. 

The  Alameda  Refinery  is  an  interesting  establish- 
ment for  two  reasons:  First,  the  fact  that  it  is  the  only 
borax  refinery  on  the  coast,  and  probably  the  largest 
in  the  world.  Second,  the  fascinating  character  of  the 
mechanical  and  chemical  processes  there  carried  on. 
The  purity  of  the  article  and  cleanliness  of  all  the 
operations  give  the  factory  somewhat  the  character 
of  a  flouring  mill.  The  crude  material  passes  first 
through  rock  breakers,  then  to  mills,  rolls,  and  burr- 
stones,  till  finely  pu.verized.  It  is  then,  with  a  small 
portion  of  carbonate  of  soda,  also  a  product  of  the 
deserts  of  California,  thrown  into  an  immense  steam 
chest,  or  pressure  boiler,  called  a  digester,  probably 
the  hughest  stomach  now  known,  where,  under  heat, 
pressure,  and  agitation,  the  existing  affinities  are  com- 
pletely upset.  The  carbonic  acid  drops  the  soda,  and 
unites  with  the  lime,  which  yields  its  boracic  acid. 
The  latter  quickly  unites  with  a  small  portion  of  the 
soda,  and  we  have  a  bi-borate  of  sodium,  the  chemist's 
name  for  bora.x.  It  is  j'et,  however,  in  solution,  and 
must  be  drawn  off  into  large  tanks  to  crystallize. 
Here  the  pure  product  forms  by  successive  crystalli- 
zations upon  thousands  of  tiny  steel  rods,  as  rock 
candy  crystallizes  upon  a  thread.  This  process  is  re- 
peated until  a  proper  degree  of  purit)'  is  reached, 
when  the  refined  borax  is  ready  for  market,  though 
powdered  for  many  uses. 

The  meat  packers  of  the  Great  West  consume  large 
quantities  in  the  dry  packing  of  meat  for  export. 
Some  fifty  mechanical  industries  employ  borax,  but 
we  ai-e  told  the  largest  use  is  in  the  household,  for  the 
toilet,  nursery,  kitchen,  and  laundry,  where  its  inno- 
cence and  purity  render  it  as  safe  as  it  is  effective  and 
economical  for  cleansing  and  preserving. 

Few  travelers  passing  in  sight  of  the  borax  works 
realize  either  the  interesting  nature  of  the  manufac- 
ture or  the  immense  quantity  of  this  staple  turned  out. 
The  year's  output  would  load  a  train  of  five  hundred 
cars  with  ten  tons  each.  If  packed  in  the  neat  paste- 
board packages  on  sale  everywhere,  labeled  "Pure 
Borax  from  the  Deserts  of  California  and  Nevada," 
and  these  were  laid  in  a  single  line  so  as  to  touch,  it 
would  stretch  out  seven  hundred  miles  away. 


CALIFORNIA  deaf.dUmb  A|ND  Bl 


PLATE  11  , 


^D   INSTITUTION, BERKELEY,  CAL 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


27 


PACIFIC  COAST  OIL  WORKS. 

Extensive  Plant  for  Refining  the  Crude  Petroleum  Found  in 
California. 

On  account  of  the  nearness  to  market  and  railroad 
.facilities  the  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's  Works  were 
established  on  Pacific  Avenue,  Alameda.  The  works 
are.  extensive  and  cover  a  large  tract  on  the  bay 
shore.  The  plant  consists  of  thirty-five  tanks,  two  of 
which  hold  forty  thousand  barrels,  and  the  remainder 
from  seventy  to  two  thousand  barrels  each.  The  agita- 
tors, one  for  treating  illuminating  oils,  holding  one 
thousand  barrels,  and  two  for  treating  lubricating  oils, 
holding  one  hundred  and  thirty  barrels  each,  two  bleach- 
ing tanksof  one  thousand  barrels  each, eight  lubricating 
settling  pans,  two  sixty-inch  boilers,  sixteen  feet  long, 
eight  pumps  for  conveying  the  fluids  from  tank  to 
tank  and  for  shipping,  each  pump  having  a  capacity 
of  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  five  hundred  barrels 
an  hour,  one  air  compressor,  one  air  blower  for  agi- 
tating, a  canning  factory,  turning  out  fifteen  hundred 
five-gallon  cans  per  day.  The  filling  capacity  of  the 
establishment  is  one  thousand  cases,  or  two  thousand 
five-gallon  cans  a  day.  The  oil  is  supplied  from  wells 
in  Los  Angeles  County,  and  is  conveyed  to  the  works 
in  tank  cars.  There  are  sixty  of  these  cars,  each  tank 
containing  from  four  thousand  to  six  thousand  gal- 
lons. The  products  of  the  works  include,  in  finer  qual- 
ities, gasoline,  naptha,  lucine,  benzine,  Water  White 
illuminating  oil,  and  Standard  illuminating  oil,  besides 
gas  oil,  paraffine,  lubricating  oil,  locomotive  oil,  car 
oil,  cylinder  oil,  engine  oil,  and  a  dark  green  lubricat- 
ing oil.  A  view  of  these  extensive  works  is  given  in 
plate  No.  28. 


STANDARD  SOAP  WORKS. 

The  Largest  Manufactory  for  Laundry  and  Toilet  Soaps  West 
of  the  Mississippi. 

An  important  industry  of  Alameda  County  is  that 
of  the  manufacture  of  soaps  from  the  immense  amount 
of  tallow  produced  in  the  slaughter  houses  at  the 
stock  yards,  near  Berkeley.  The  Standard  Soap  Com- 
pany's works,  at  Posen  Station,  West  Berkeley  "(so 
named  by  the  actor  M.  B.  Curtis,  known  as  "Sam'l 
of  Posen,"  who  owned  considerable  property  and  built 
a  passenger  depot  there),  were  built  several  years  ago 
and  comprise  an  extensive  plant  covering  a  block  of 
ground.  They  are  on  the  Southern  Pacific  overland 
line  and  on  the  shore  of  San  Francisco  Bay.  It  is 
the  largest  establishment  of  the  kind  west  of  Chicago, 
and  has  a  capacity  of  one  million  pounds  of  soap  per 
month.  It  runs  the  entire  year  and  employs  thirty- 
five  men  in  the  making  of  soaps,  candles,  and  refining 


of  glycerine,  with  ten  girls  as  packers.  Of  laundry 
soaps  one  hundred  and  thirty  different  kinds  are 
made,  with  several  kinds  of  washing  powders  or  com- 
pounds, and  three  hundred  different  kinds  of  toilet 
soaps  are  turned  out,  including  shaving  soaps  and 
floating  soap  for  the  bath.  The  latest  processes  and 
machinery  are  used.  One  of  the  features  is  a  com- 
plete printing  office,  furnished  with  all  kinds  of  type, 
and  three  cylinder  presses,  which  print  all  the  labels 
used,  even  to   the  fancy  wrappers  for  the  finest  soaps. 

The  laundry  soaps  are  made  by  different  processes 
from  tallow  and  resin,  with  other  ingredients,  the 
cooking  all  being  done  by  steam.  The  toilet  soaps 
are  principal!)'  made  from  cocoanut  oil,  which  is  ex- 
pressed from  the  cocoanuts  grown  on  the  islands  of 
the  Pacific  and  refined  in  San  Francisco.  The  kernel 
iif  the  cocoanut  is  sent  in  a  dry  state  and  is  called 
"copra."  This  is  what  the  kernel  was  originally 
called  after  the  oil  was  expressed.  This  dried  kernel 
retains  the  oil  and  is  not  so  bulky  as  the  nuts  them- 
selves. It  is  put  through  some  steam  process  and  the 
oil  expressed.  The  laundry  soaps  at  the  Standard 
Works  are  cooked  in  six  pans  or  kettles,  two  of  them 
having  a  capacity  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand 
each,  and  the  other  four  together  one  hundred  thou- 
sand,making  three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  pounds 
at  one  boiling.  The  tallow  is  melted  out  of  the  bar- 
rels on  the  fourth  floor  by  steam  jets  and  runs  down 
into  the  kettles.  The  caustic  lye  or  potash  is  also 
melted  by  steam  and  boiling  water  and  runs  by  pipes 
into  the  kettles.  After  the  boiling  the  underlie  or 
by  product  of  crude  glycerine  is  drawn  off  and  refined 
for  the  giant  powder  factories  at  thirty  specific  grav- 
ity, and  a  still  finer  quality  absolutely  pure  put  up  for 
druggists'  use.  After  the  laundry  soap  is  boiled  suf- 
ficiently, it  is  run  into  large  molds  to  cool  and  comes 
out  of  these  in  blocks  of  nine  hundred  pounds  weight 
each,  the  different  kinds  being  boiled,  of  course,  on 
different  days  in  different  kettles.  These  blocks, 
twelve  by  thirty  by  thirty-six,  are  cut  into  cakes  by 
power,  four  men  handling  and  stamping  eighty 
blocks,  or  seventy-two  thousand  pounds,  per  day  and 
putting  the  cakes  on  racks  to  season,  from  which 
when  dry  they  are  wrapped  and  boxed.  Several 
qualities  are  pressed  after  being  cut  into  cakes,  one 
especially  being  subjected  to  steam  pressure.  This  is 
claimed  to  be  equal  to  Babbitt's. 

The  toilet  soaps  are  boiled  in  eight  "jacketed" 
kettles,  holding  an  aggregate  of  six  thousand  pounds, 
and  the  "floating"  soap  is  also  boiled  in  a  different 
kettle,  and  by  a  different  process.  These  soaps  are 
run  into  molds  similar  to  the  laundry  soaps,  but  they 
come  out  in  white  blocks  like  marble,     These  are  cut 


28 


ILUSTRATFD  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


up  into  bars,  and  the  bars,  three-fourths  by  two 
inches,  are  put  through  tlie  "chipping"  machine, 
which  shaves  them  up  into  thin  chips,  after  which 
they  are  placed  on  tables  to  dry.  When  sufficiently 
dry  these  chips  are  taken  to  one  of  the  eight  "mix- 
ing "  machines,  where  the  perfumery  and  the  coloring 
matter  desired  are  added.  After  passing  from  the  mix- 
ing machines  it  is  put  through  one  of  two  mills,  with 
polished  granite  rollers,  from  which  it  comes  out  in  a 
thin  sheet  about  two  feet  wide.  It  is  then  passed 
"through  one  of  the  two  "blotters,"  or  the  hx'draulic 
ram,  from  which  it  comes  out  in  a  long  bar,  the  shape 
of  the  bar  being  determined  by  the  diaphragm  .used — 
round,  square,  octagon,  etc. —  and  is  then  cut  up  in 
cakes  and  put  through  one  of  the  four  presses  that 
have  changeable  dies,  making  the  numerous  shapes 
and  styles  of  cakes.  Thej-  are  then  put  upon  racks 
to  dry,  and  are  afterward  appropriately  wrapped  and 
placed  in  pasteboard  boxes  by  the  one-quarter,  one- 
third,  and  one-half  dozen,  according  to  the  st}'le,  etc., 
and  are  ready  for  the  market. 

The  glycerine  and  candle  works  are  in  a  building 
adjoining  the  soap  works ;  the  tallow  is  run  from  pipes 
in  the  upper  story  of  the  latter  to  the  tanks  in  the 
former,  where  it  is  boiled  in  a  vacuum  and  all  the  oil 
run  off,  leaving  the  stearine  almost  free.  This  is  put 
in  quantities  of  about  five  pounds  into  coarse  sacks 
about  six  inches  wide  by  eighteen  long  and  subjected 
to  hydraulic  pressure.  These  sacks  are  then  still  fur- 
ther subjected  to  steam  pressure,  where  jets  of  steam 
are  injected  into  the  stearine  and  the  remainder  of  the 
oil  is  expressed.  The  stearine  is  then  melted  and  run 
into  the  molding  machines,  holding  one  hundred  or 
more  candles  each.  The  best  quality  are  dried  and 
bleached  in  the  sun. 

There  is  in  connection  with  the  works  a  complete 
box  factory  with  machinery  for  making  boxes  from 
the  rough  lumber,  but  this  is  not  done,  as  it  is  cheaper 
to  purchase  the  lumber  from  the  sawmills  in  the  in- 
terior already  surfaced  and  cut  into  box  length,  ready 
to  be  put  together.  The  lumber  is  easier  stored  and 
seasoned,  requiring  less  room,  and  is  transported  with 
less  trouble.  This  lumber  is  stored  in  a  fireproof 
building.  There  is  a  machine  in  the  box  factory  for 
printing  on  the  wood.  Besides  the  various  depart- 
ments already  mentioned,  there  are  store  rooms  for 
the  soaps,  oil,  tallow,  and  resin,  label  rooms,  shipping 
rooms,  etc.  The  supplies  are  received  and  the  prod- 
ucts shipped  away  by  rail,  a  switch  running  alongside 
the  works. 

The  output  of  the  Standard  Soap  Company,  aside 
from  the  local  consumption,  is  sent  all  over  the  Pacific 
Coast  and  to  Pacific  Ocean  ports  in    Mexico,    Central 


and  South  .\merica   Au.stralia,  Hawaiian   Islands,  and 
to  the  Orient. 


IRON  WORKS  AND  ROLLING  MILL. 

A  large  plant  at  Emeryville,  Oakland  Township. 
One  of  the  most  important  manufacturing  plants  in 
Alameda  County  is  that  of  the  Judson  Manufacturing 
Company,  just  outside  the  city  limits  of  Oakland,  at 
Emeryville,  on  the  line  of  the  Northern  Railway — a 
leased  line  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Company.  It  is 
situated  on  the  shore  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  and 
has  a  frontage  on  the  railroad  of  one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  eighty-four  feet.  It  is  one  of  the  largest 
factories  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States,  and  employs 
in  the  busiest  season  four  hundred  persons;  from  one 
hundred  and  seventj'-five  to  two  hundred areemplojed 
during  the  entire  \'ear.  From  $15,000  to  S  18,000 
are  paid  monthly  to  the  emplojes,  the  wages  running 
from  560  to  S200  per  month.  The  plant  includes  a 
rolling  mill,  machine  shop,  agricultural  machine 
works,  iron  and  steel  bridge  works.  Nearly  all  the 
ironwork  used  in  dhe  construction  of  the  public  and 
large  business  blocks  in  Oakland,  Alameda,  and  Berk- 
eley, as  well  as  in  many  of  those  in  San  Francisco,  was 
turned  out  at  these  works.  Ten  thousand  tons  of 
iron  are  rolled  annually.  The  rolling  plant  consists 
of  mills  of  different  sizes,  with  full  sets  of  rolls  for 
turning  out  all  sorts  of  ironwork.  Forty  tons  of  iron 
are  turned  out  of  the  furnaces  daily  during  the  busy 
season.  Tlie  annual  output  is  nearly  three-quarters 
of  a  million  dollars  and  is  increasing  steadily. 


BRIDGE   BUILDING  INDU.'?TRY. 

On  account  of  the  mountainous  character  of  a  large 
portion  of  the  commonwealth  of  California,  many 
bridges  are  necessarj',  and  one  of  the  leading  incorpora- 
tions in  this  industry  is  the  California  Bridge  Corn- 
pan}',  with  works  at  Emeryville,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Judson  Works.  The  bridge  company  puts  up 
from  thirty  to  forty  bridges  annually,  its  work  not  be- 
ing confined  to  California,  but  many  of  the  bridges 
crossing  streams  in  other  States  and  Territories,  and 
a  number  of  them  are  models  of  engineering  skill. 
Its  bridges  are  of  wood,  iron  and  steel.  The  bridge 
o\er  the  Feather  River  at  Gridley,  Cal.,  built  by  this 
company,  has  a  span  of  three  hundred  and  thirteen 
feet.  That  over  the  Mad  River,  in  Humboldt  County, 
is  said  to  contain  the  longest  timbers  in  one  piece  in 
the  world,  the  chord  sticks  being  one  hundred  and 
forty-seven  feet  long  and  cut  out  of  mammoth  trees  of 
the  Sequoia  gigantea.     The  California    Bridge  Com- 


PLATE 


E.S.DENISON'S,  ALMOND  ORCliARD,  NILE5 


1  4  ji  \ 


ES.DENIS0N3    FRUIT  ORCHARD,  N I JLE5. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


29 


pany  has  also  erected  several  bridges  across  the  San 
Joaquin,  Russian,  and  other  rivers  in  California,  as 
well  as  in  Oregon,  Washington,  Arizona,  New  Mexico, 
Idaho,  etc.  These  bridges  have  been  erected  on  both 
county  and  railroads.  The  company  has  constantly 
in  employ  from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  fift\' 
men. 


NAIL  WORKS. 


Another  industry  of  considerable  magnitude  is  that 
of  the  Pacific  Iron  and  Nail  Company,  occupying  a 
tract  of  fourteen  acres  at  the  foot  of  Market,  Myrtle, 
and  adjacent  streets,  Oakland.  This  plant  was  estab- 
lished about  the  same  time  the  Judson  works  were. 
The  capacity  of  the  factory  is  about  sixty-five  tons  of 
iron  and  steel  daily.  It  comprises  a  rolling  mill,  ma- 
chine shop,  and  nail  factory.  The  output  is  about 
thirty  thousand  kegs  of  nails  per  month.  This  is 
several  thousand  kegs  above  Pacific  Coast  consump- 
tion, but  they  are  disposed  of  by  export  to  South 
America,  Hawaii,  etc.  The  machinery  is  of  the  latest 
pattern  and  designs.  The  plant  cost  over  half  a  mil- 
lion dollars;  nearly  three  hundred  hands  are  em- 
plo\-ed,  and  the  pay  roll   is  about  ;520,000  per  month. 


the  mill  and  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  looms. 
There  are  two  hundred  and  fifty  machines  in  the  fac- 
tory, and  the  cost  of  the  plant  was  ^250,000. 


CALIFORNIA  COTTON  MILLS. 

In  1885  the  California  Cotton  Mills  Company 
erected  a  plant  for  the  manufacture  of  cotton.  It  oc- 
cupies a  block  of  450  feet  on  the  line  of  the  railroad  at 
Twenty-third  Avenue  Station,  East  Oakland.  The 
machinery  is  of  the  most  improved  kind  and  cost 
about  a  half  million  dollars.  Various  kinds  of  cotton 
goods  are  manufactured,  including  seamless  bags  for 
grain,  flour,  alfalfa,  salt,  coffee,  toweling,  bolting  for 
batting  and  mops,  carpeting,  burlaps,  cotton  wicking,^ 
warps,  twines,  and  common  rope.  The  goods  manu- 
factured are  equal  to  any  manufactured  in  this  coun- 
tr\'  or  imported. 


MANUFACTURE  OF  JUTE. 

The  California  Jute  Mills  were  built  at  Clinton 
Station,  Oakland,  on  the  north  arm  of  the  estuary,  in 
the  seventies,  but  in  1883  they  changed  hands  and 
were  extensively  improved,  new  machinery  added,  and 
the  capacity  enlarged.  They  cover  an  entire  block  of 
ground  and  give  employment  to  upward  of  four  hun- 
dred men,  boys,  and  girls,  with  a  pay  roll  of  about 
i^io.ooo  monthly.  Nearly  one  thousand  bales  of  jute 
are  monthly  manufactured  into  burlaps  for  grain,  po- 
tato, flour,  and  borax  sacks,  twines,  jute  matting,  horse 
blankets,  etc.     There  are  three  thousand   spindles  in 


CAR   SHOPS  AT   NEWARK. 

At  Newark,  on  the  line  of  the  South  Pacific  Coast 
Railroad,  in  Washington  Township,  are  situated  the 
large  car  shops  of  Carter  Bros.  This  firm  turns  out 
annually  hundreds  of  street  cars — electric,  cable,  and 
horse — as  well  as  railroad  cars  for  different  lines  on 
the  coast.  A  large  force  of  workmen  is  constantly 
employed  and  all  work  turned  out  is  first  class. 


AGRICULTURAL   MACHINE  WORKS. 

At  San  Leandro,  in  Eden  Township,  are  situated 
Best's  Agricultural  Machine  Works,  where  are  manu- 
factured combined  harvesters,  threshing  machines,  and 
traction  road  engines  capable  of  drawing  fifty  tons. 
These  machines  and  engines  are  sold  and  used  all  over 
the  Pacific  Coast,  and  the  plant  turns  out  a  large  num- 
ber every  year. 


BRASS  FOUNDRY. 

At  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Fourth  Streets, 
Oakland,  is  situated  the  brassfoundry  of  A.  Chloupek, 
where  are  turned  out  all  kinds  of  brass  castings  and 
fixtures. 


SEWER  PIPE  AND  FIRE  BRICK  WORKS. 

In  1888  N.  Clark  &  Sons  removed  their  sewer  pipe 
and  fire  brick  works  from  Sacramento  to  Alameda 
Point,  on  account  of  better  facilities  offered  by  the 
change  of  location.  They  purchased  a  tract  of  eight 
acres  of  ground,  constructed  one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred feet  of  side  tracking,  and  erected  a  handsome 
four-story  brick  building,  one  hundred  and  ten  by  two 
hundred  and  si.xty-five  feet.  There  were  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  building  oiie  million  red  bricks, 
the  floors  having  an  area  of  one  hundred  thousand 
square  feet.  The  power  is  furnished  by  a  one  hundred 
and  fifty  horse  power  Atlas  «ngine,  and  the  boiler 
rooms  contain  two  sixty-inch  steel  boilers.  The  drj- 
and  wet  pan  system  is  used  in  mixing  and  grinding 
clays  for  sewer  pipe,  fire  brick,  terra  cotta,  drain  tile, 
fireproofing,  and  other  products  of  the  manufactory. 
The  facilities  are  such  that  from  the  moment  that  the 
clay  is  unloaded  from  the  cars  it  is  not  handled  again 
by  the  workmen  until  it  comes  from  the  various  ma- 
chines, ready  to  go  on  the  drying  floors,  and  thence, 
after  they  are  thoroughly  dried,  to  the  kilns.  A  spe- 
cialty of  this   factory   is    the  "Pacific"  fire    brick,  an 


30 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


article  that  has  the  highest  reputation  and  is  preferred 
to  the  best  English  brick.  The  finest  machinery  and 
the  most  substantially  constructed  kilns  are  in  opera- 
tion in  this  factory,  and  only  first-class  work  in  every 
department  is  allowed  to  be  placed  on  the  market.  As 
a  consequence,  this  pottery  has  secured  a  reputation 
second  to  no  other  establishment  of  the  kind  on  the 
Pacific  Coast,  and  enabling  them  to  compete  with  the 
highest  grade  of  manufactures  turned  out  by  Eastern 
and  foreign .  establishments  of  a  similar  character. 
Only  the  best  quality  of  material  is  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  products  of  this  pottery.  Their  facilities  for 
making  shipments  by  rail  and  water  are  such  that 
their  products  are  distributed  all  over  the  Pacific  Coast. 
The  pottery  turns  out  annually  seven  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  fire  bricks  and  one  million  feet  of  sewer 
pipe,  conduit  pipe,  and  drain  tile. 


POTTERY  AND  TERRA  COTTA. 

On  the  line  of  the  local  railroad,  at  Twenty-third 
Avenue  Station,  East  Oakland,  is  located  the  large 
plant  of  the  California  Pottery  and  Terra  Cotta  Works. 
About  one  thousand  tons  of  clay  are  used  annuallj'  in 
the  construction  of  sewer  and  chinmey  pipe.  The 
capacity  of  the  plant  is  one  tlmusand  joints  of  pipe 
per  day,  and,  when  running  at  full  capacity,  fi\'e  thou- 
sand are  constantly  drying  in  the  kilns.  All  kinds  of 
terra  cotta  work  are  turned  out,  as  well  as  glazed  pipe 
uork.  The  pottery  makes  a  specialty  of  filters  and 
cane  and  umbrella  stands. 


ART  POTTERY. 

Adjoining  the  California  Potter}-,  but  an  entirely 
different  concern,  is  the  Oakland  Art  Pottery.  It  makes 
a  specialty  of  art  potteiy,  including  vases,  plaques, 
tiles,  etc.,  and  has  a  kiln  for  firing  hand-painted  china, 
etc.  Sewer  pipe  in  large  quantities  is  turned  out  at 
this  pottery.     The  output  annually  is  about  5125,000. 


COMMON  AND  PRESSED  BRICK. 

Owing  to  the  nature  of  the  soil  necessarj'  for  the 
manufacture  of  brick,  this  industry  is  not  very  exten- 
sively followed  in  Alameda  County,  but  the  Remillard 
Brick  Company  has  a  large  brick  yard  at  Pleasanton, 
at  which  thousands  of  brick  are  tarned  out  annually. 
The  company  have  other  yards,  and  the  aggregate 
output  per  annum  is  between  two  million  and  three 
million  common  brick,  as  well  as  between  five  hundred 
thousand  and  one  million  pressed  brick.  The  head- 
quarters and  office  of  the  company  are  in  Oakland. 
The  average  price  of  common  brick  is  $9.00  per  thou- 


sand and  that  of  the  pressed,  between  S30  and  340 
per  thousand.  The  value  of  the  annual  output  of  the 
company  is  from  $250,000  to  $300,000.  It  employs 
three  hundred  men  and  eighty  teams  during  the  entire 
year,  the  climate  being  such  that  the  making  of  brick 
can  go  on  as  well  in  winter  as  in  summer.  This  com- 
pany has  been  in  business  since  1861.  It  takes  con- 
tracts for  the  erection  of  brick  buildings. 


WOODWORK  AND  PLANING  MILLS. 

There  are  a  number  of  planing  mills  in  the  county 
that  handle  annually  an  immense  quantity  of  lumber 
for  the  growing  cities  and  suburbs  and  towns  and  vil- 
lages. It  is  estimated  that  between  seventy  million 
and  one  hundred  million  feet  of  lumber  are  used  annu- 
ally in  the  county.  Several  of  the  largest  lumber  yards 
carr\'  from  three  million  to  four  million  feet  of  lumber 
continLialh"  on  hand  and  sell  annually  fiom  fixe  million 
to  scN'en  million  feet. 

One  of  the  extensix-e  woodworking  industries  of 
Alameda  County  is  the  plant  of  the  California  Door 
Company,  situated  at  Wood  and  Sixteenth  Streets,  West 
Oakland,  and  near  the  line  of  the  railroad,  with  side 
tracks  to  carry  in  the  lumber  and  take  away  the  out- 
put. The  plant  cost  5350,000,  and  turns  out  one  thou- 
sand doors  per  day,  besides  many  hundreds  of  dozen 
sash.  From  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  four  hundred 
men  are  employed  by  the  company,  the  latter  number 
during  the  busiest  season.  This  factory  was  opened 
up  in  1888. 

The  Burnham-Standeford  Company  runs  a  large 
plant  on  Washington  Street,  occupying  the  block  be- 
tween First  and  Second  Streets,  known  as  the  Oakland 
Planmg  Mills.  AH  sorts  of  woodwork  are  turned  out, 
from  street  cars  to  doors,  sashes,  inside  and  outside 
blinds,  as  well  as  millwork  for  buildings.  It  was  es- 
tablished in  1868  by  O.  H.  Burnham  and  W.  D. 
Standeford,  but  has  recenth'  become  the  property  of 
an  incorporation. 

From  one  million  five  hundred  thousand  to  two 
million  feet  of  lumber  are  used  annually  by  the  Eagle 
Bo.x  and  Manufacturing  Company's  factory,  on  Mar- 
ket Street,  Oakland.  About  five  hundred  thousand 
to  one  million  feet  of  spruce  lumber  are  kept  on  hand 
all  the  time,  and  seventy-five  men  are  constantly  em- 
ploj-ed  in  the  manufacture  of  boxes  for  the  small  fruit 
farmers  of  the  county  and  other  industries  requiring 
boxes.  A  large  number  are  manufactured  for  dried 
fruits  as  well  as  egg  boxes.  The  output  annually  is 
from  $75,000  to  $100,000. 

The  Pioneer  Planing  Mill,  of  Hierlih)-,  Bell  &  Co., 
employs  forty  men  and  turns  out  a  great  deal  of  mill- 


PLATE    13. 


sj- PRESBYTERIAN  CMUReH ,  I4and FRANKLIN  5T5,  OAKLAND. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


work  for  exterior  and  interior  of  dwellings,  stores,  etc. 
It  is  situated  on  First  Street  at  the  foot  of  Broadway. 

The  Independent  Planing  Mill,  of  Johnson  Bros.  & 
Co.,  at  Brush  and  Second  Streets,  Oakland,  turns  out 
fifty  thousand  to  seventy-five  thousand  feet  of  dressed 
redwood,  sugar  pine,  Oregon  pine,  cedar,  fir  and  hard 
woods.  The  building  of  water  tanks  for  windmills  is 
a  specialty  of  this  mill. 

The  Pacific  Coast  Planing  Mill,  of  Alpheus  Kendall, 
in  Oakland,  turns  out  all  kinds  of  mill  work  in  sugar 
pine,  cedar,  ash,  spruce,  black  walnut,  and  maple. 

The  East  Oakland  Planing  Mills,  at  East  Twelfth 
Street  and  Fourteenth  Avenue,  do  the  same  kind  of 
millwork  as  those  mentioned  above,  and  send  their 
output  all  over  the  Pacific  Coast  as  well  as  to  Mexico 
and  the  islands.  They  handle  the  same  kind  of  lumber 
the  other  mills  do,  and  keep  a  large  stock  on  hand. 

Besides  the  Oakland  mills  mentioned,  which  use 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  feet  of  all  kinds  of  lumber, 
there  are  two  planing  mills  in  Berkeley  and  one  in 
Alameda.  The  West  Berkeley  Planing  Mills,  Niehaus 
Bros.,  have  been  in  operation  seventeen  years.  The 
output  is  about  ^75,000  per  annum,  and  upwards  of 
one  million  feet  of  lumber  are  converted  into  doors, 
sashes,  window  frames,  brackets,  niouldings,  mantels, 
stair  work,  book  cases,  church  work,  tanks,  orna- 
mental fences,  scroll  sawing,  turning,  etc. 

George  C.  Pape's  East  Berkeley  Planing  Mills  han- 
dle about  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  feet  of  lum- 
ber per  annum,  the  most  of  it  for  local  contractors. 
All  kinds  of  trimmings  and  millwork  are  turned  out. 

In  Alameda  the  Enterprise  Planing  Mill  converts  a 
large  amount  of  lumber  monthly  into  millwork,  such 
as  mouldings,  brackets,  ornamental  facing,  door  and 
window  frames,  scroll  and  band  saw  work,  and  fancy 
fencing  for  the  local  contractors  and  builders  in  this 
little  city  of  pleasant  homes  and  attractive  buildings. 


FLOURING  MILLS. 

Among  the  many  industries  and  mills  in  Alameda 
are  those  for  the  grinding  of  her  cereal  products.  Of 
these  the  Golden  Rule  Flouring  Mills,  at  Broadway 
and  Third  Street,  were  erected  in  1864,  and  have  a 
capacity  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  barrels  a  day.  The 
mill  operates  eight  double  sets  of  Steven's  rollers,  a 
smutter,  a  bran  duster,  separator,  bolts,  purifiers,  etc. 
— all  of  the  most  improved  make.  The  principal 
market  is  in  Oakland  and  San  Francisco,  but  ship- 
ments are  made  to  Vallejo,  San  Rafael,  and  to  Contra 
Costa  County. 

The  Encinal  Home  Flouring  Mills,  at  Washington 
and  Fourth  Streets,  Oakland,  include  French  burr- 
stones,  Wagner  rollers,  and  every  description  of  ma- 


chiner}'  necessary  for  cleaning  and  separating.  The 
annual  output  is  about  ;^75,ooo,  and  the  mill  makes  a 
specialty  of  meals  of  their  own  manufacture. 

The  Bay  City  Roller  Flouring  Mills,  at  First  and 
Clay  Streets,  Oakland,  have  a  capacity  of  over  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  barrels  per  day.  The  prod- 
uct of  the  mills  includes  the  finest  grades  of  flour, 
oatmeal,  graham  flour,  coarse  and  fine  hominy,  corn 
meal,  middlings,  bran,  pearl  barley,  and  farina. 

The  Berkeley  Milling  Company's  mills  are  located  at 
West  Berkeley.  Their  sales  amount  to  upward  of 
$3,000  monthly,  the  largest  part  resulting  from  the 
manufacture  of  breakfast  food.  The  machinery  in- 
cludes steel  cutters,  breaking  machines,  separators, 
bolts,  cleaners,  and  purifiers.  The  product  of  these 
mills  is  made  from  the  choicest  grain  grown  in  this 
State,  carefully  prepared  and  steam  cooked  by  a  new 
process  which  renders  it  more  wholesome  and  nutri- 
tious. The  machinery  cost  $10,000,  and  the  output 
amounts  to  $45,000  a  year. 


TANNERIES. 

One  of  the  oldest  industries  of  East  Oakland  is  the 
manufacture  of  leather.  The  Broolclyn  Tannery  has 
been  in  operation  since  1870,  and  was  started  by  the 
late  George  F.  Crist.  It  is  now  conducted  by  R.  F. 
&  A.  J.  Crist,  sons  of  the  foimer,  who  were  members 
of  the  firm  prior  to  their  father's  death.  The  output 
per  annum  varies  from  $90,000  to  $120,000  per  )^ear, 
and  represents  ten  thousand  to  twelve  thousand  hides. 
From  $12,000  to  $16,000  worth  of  bark  is  used 
yearl}'. 

The  Oak  Grove  Tannery,  located  also  in  East  Oak- 
land,'G.  S,  Derby  proprietor,  was  established  in  i860. 
It  works  about  sixty  thousand  hides  per  annum,  which 
represent  an  output  of  about  $70,000.  Over  four 
thousand  sides  of  leather  are  constantly  in  course  of 
tanning.  Sixty-eight  vats  consume  six  hundred  cords 
of  bark  every  year,  and  the  principal  manufacture  con- 
sists of  harness,  skirting,  and  sole  leather.  The  pelts 
average  sixty  pounds  each.  The  roller  has  a  pressure 
of  seven  thousand  pounds.  This  tannery  has  a  laro-e 
Eastern  trade. 


MANUFACTURE  OF  PAINTS  AND  OILS. 

In  1884  the  Paraffine  Paint  Company  located  its 
works  near  Shell  Mound  Park,  at  Emeryville.  The 
company  manufactures  a  paint  adapted  to  the  preser- 
vation of  wood  and  ironwork,  tin,  roofs,  bridges,  etc. 
The  factory  turns  out  fifteen  thousand  gallons  a 
month,  worth,  according  to  quality,  from  ninety  cents 
to  $[.75    per    gallon.     Branch  houses  for  the  sale  of 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


this  paint  have  been  estabhshed  in  New  York,  St. 
Louis,  and  Chicago.  'The  sales  of  paint  alone  amount 
to  ;$ 1 80,000  annually,  besides  which  the  company 
has  a  heavy  demand  for  a  patent  waterproof  roof- 
ing of  burlap,  backed  with  paper  and  coated  with 
paraffine  paint,  these  sales  amounting  to  ^90,000  a 
year. 

The  works  of  the  Petroline  Paint  Company  are  sit- 
uated on  First  Street,  Oal<land,  on  the  line  of  the  old 
overland  railroad.  The  company  receives  a  sort  of 
crude  petroleum  oil  from  wells  in  Ventura  County. 
The  lighter  quality  is  sold  to  the  gas  company.  The 
heavier  parts  of  tar  are  used  for  sidewalks,  and  the 
asphaltum  for  paints.  The  company  manufactures 
large  quantities  of  waterproof  petroline  roofing.  The 
paints  manufactured  are  water  and  fire  proof,  and  are 
used  for  painting  ironworks,  smokestacks,  gas  works, 
roofs  and  tin,  preventing  oxidization. 

E.  G.  Buswell  &  Co.  have  a  plant  at  the  corner  of 
Broadway  and  Fourth  Street,  Oakland,  for  the  manu- 
facture of  the  varfbus  kinds  of  mineral  paints,  \\*itli  a 
capacity  of  ten  tons  per  month. 


CHAPTER  V. 

RAILROADS  IN  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 

The  Terminus  of  the  Transcontinental  Lines^Local  Passenger 
Trafific— Street  Car  Lines  Run  by  Cables  and  Electricity- 
Electric  Cars  Run  on  the  CoiSily  Roads— Rapid  and  Fre- 
quent Transit  from  Surburban  Towns  to  the  Cides  of 
Oakland  and  San  Francisco — Car  Shops,  etc. 

As  all  roads  during  the  time  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire's greatest  success  led  to  Rome,  so  for  many  years 
all  visitors  to  the  metropolis  of  the  Pacific  Coast 
by  transcontinental  travel  passed  through  Alameda 
County  and  across  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco. 

The  commencement  of  the  present  railroad  system 
of  the  Pacific  Coast  was  the  incorporation  in  1862  of 
the  Alameda  Valley  Railroad  Company,  to  build  a 
railroad  from  Oakland  to  Niles.  This  road  was  built 
by  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  Company  some  years 
later  and  became  a  part  of  the  transcontinental  line 
over  the  Rockies.  The  first  railroad,  being  four  miles 
long,  and  running  from  Broadway,  Oakland,  to  the 
ferry  wharf,  was  operated  in  1863.  In  1865  this  line 
was  extended  to  Brooklyn,  now  East  Oakland  Station, 
and  this  was  connected  with  the  San  Francisco  and  Ala- 
meda Valley  Railroad  and  extended  to  Hayward  and 
completed.  This  line  was  extended  during  the  latter 
part  of  this  year  and  the  one  succeeding  to  connect 
with  the  Western  Pacific,  a  section  of  the  transconti- 
nental line  then  under  construction  in  Alameda  Cafion, 
and    through    the     Livermore    Pass,    in    the    Contra 


Costa  Range.  The  Central  Pacific  Railroad  in  1867 
bought  up  the  various  railway  lines  and  consolidated 
them,  agreeing  upon  making  the  terminii  of  a  1  the 
lines  intending  to  reach  San  Francisco  at  Oakland, 
and  crossing  the  bay  from  this  point.  The  Central 
Pacific  Conn)any,  then  building  its  line  to  connect 
with  the  Union  Pacific  at  Ogden,  had  also  determined 
at  this  time  to  reach  San  Francisco  via  the  Livermore 
Pass,  Alameda  C'ahon,  Oakland,  and  a  ferry  system 
across  the  bay,  and  on  the  eighth  da}'  of  November, 
1 869,  the  first  overland  train  reached  Oakland. 

Then  it  became  apparent  that  the  metropolis  had 
been  founded  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  ba)' — that  it 
ought  to  have  been  on  the  mainland  where  Oakland 
now  is,  with  a  scope  and  capacity  of  containing  a  city 
of  two  million  inhabitants,  instead  of  on  the  peninsula 
of  San  Francisco.  A  line  of  ferry  .steamers  was  put 
on  b)-  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  and  a 
pier  built  out  on  piles  two  miles  into  the  bay,  where 
these  steamers  landed.  Owing  to  a  feeling  of  dis- 
trust expressed  by  many  in  reference  to  tlie  trestle, 
the  company  some  years  ago  filled  in  all  around  it 
with  earth  and  stone,  makmg  a  solid  mole  extending 
from  the  pier  to  the  mainland.  The  travel  and  freight 
traffic  became  so  heavy  that  the  railroad  determined 
to  build  a  line  around  the  bay  shore,  which  it  did,  to 
avoid  the  heav\-  grades  through  the  Livermore  Pass. 
It  also  built  an  immense  ferry  steamer  to  cross  the 
Straits  of  Carquinez  for  the  overland  travel  via  Og- 
den and  Omaha.  This  steamer  carries  an  entire 
train  of  sleepers,  passenger  coaches,  dining  cars,  etc., 
with  the  accompanying  engine,  at  one  load,  the  train 
divided  in  half  The  road  via  the  Livermore  Pass  is 
now  used  for  local  traffic.  The  trains  for  the  south- 
ern routes  follow  around  the  bay  shore  into  Contra 
Costa  County  and  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 

A  few  years  after  the  completion  of  the  main  line 
the  company  built  a  line  from  Niles  down  througli 
the  southern  end  of  the  county,  running  through  the 
Santa  Clara  Valley,  through  San  Jos^,  to  Santa  Cruz 
and  Monterey.  By  a  branch  line  running  down 
from  San  Francisco  to  San  Jos^,  a  circuit  of  the 
lower  end  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco — one  hun- 
dred miles — is  made,  and  freight  not  desired  to  be 
risked  on  tlie  bay  is  sent  round  to  San  Francisco. 
"Big  Betsy,"  the  immense  gun  sent  out  from  the  East 
for  the  warship  Monterey,  was  sent  around  in  this  way 
from  Oakland.  The  company  have  two  large  steam- 
ers, upon  which  they  load  a  train  of  freight  cars  and 
take  them  across  the  bay  to  San  Francisco,  and  vice 
versa,  of  freight  going  east  from  Japan,  China,  or 
other  oriental  countries,  or  the  Hawaiian  and  other 
islands  of  the  Pacific,  and    Australia.     So  much    for 


-i-   ,  '"^ 


,-->--4-^----  t         t-  ^•^^ 


nuillilffi 


RESIDENeE  OF    CHARLES  NELSO 


PLATE    I4-. 


SEMINARY  AVE.,  EAST  OAKLAND 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


33 


the  overland  roads,  which  were  all  leased  some  years 
ago  and  are  still  controlled  by  the  Southern  Pacific 
Company  of  Kentucky. 

About  thirteen  years  ago  an  opposition  company, 
known  as  the  South  Pacific  Coast  Railroad  Company, 
built  and  equipped  a  narrow-gauge  line  starting  from 
a  pier  built  out  into  the  bay  from  Alameda  Point, 
along  the  south  training  wall  of  the  Oakland  estuary, 
and  paralleling  the  broad-gauge  line  down  through 
Alameda  County  and  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  to  San 
Jose,  Santa  Cruz,  and  Monterey.  This  line  runs  be- 
tween the  broad  gauge  and  the  bay.  In  1887  it  was 
purchased  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Company  for  $e,,- 
500,000,  and  it  is  now  operated  by  it. 

The  California  and  Nevada  Narrow  Gauge  Railroad 
Company  built  a  line  a  few  years  ago  from  Emeryville, 
via  Berkeley  and  San  Pablo,  to  Walnut  Grove,  in  Contra 
Costa  County,  which  runs  during  the  summer  months. 
The  line  is  being  extended,  and  it  is  understood  that  it 
will  be  put  through  into  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  in  the 
near  future. 

The  California  Railway  Company  runs  a  narrow- 
gauge  train  from  the  city  line  of  Oakland  at  Fruitvale 
to  the  foothills  at  Laundry  Farm,  being  a  direct  line 
to  Mills  College.  This  company  furnishes  rock  for 
street  macadamizing  purposes  from  its  quarries  at 
Laundry  Farm. 

In  1891  the  Southern  Pacific  Company  built  a  short 
line  from  Martinez  through  to  its  old  overland  line 
near  Livermore,  opening  up  a  rich  farming  district  to 
railroad  facilities,  so  that  there  is  scarcely  a  farm  in  the 
county  that  is  not  within  a  few  miles  of  a  railroad  sta- 
tion and  has  an  outlet  to  get  its  products  to  the  local 
markets. 

The  following  is  a  chief  summing  up  of  the  present 
transcontinental  roads,  of  which  the  little  line  of  four 
miles  operated  in  1863  was  the  beginning :  Theoldest  of 
the  lines  now  forming  a  part  of  the  coast  and  transconti- 
nental systems  is  the  Central  Pacific,  leased  and  oper- 
ated by  the  Southern  Pacific.  This  line  starts  from 
Oakland  pier  and  connects,  with  the  Union  Pacific  at 
Ogden.  One  train  leaves  Oakland  daily,  via  Sacra- 
mento, crossing  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  via 
Truckee,  to  Reno,  Nevada,  where  it  connects  with  the 
line  to  Carson  and  Virginia  City,  and  that  line  with 
the  Carson  and  Colorado  line,  through  .Southern  Ne- 
vada, Mono,  and  Inyo  Counties,  in  this  State,  to  the 
Colorado  River.  At  Reno  the  Central  Pacific  also 
connects  with  a  railway  being  built  northward  to  Las- 
sen County,  and  to  extend  the  whole  fength  of  Sur- 
prise Valley,  Modoc  County,  and  into  Oregon.  At 
Battle  Mountain  the  Central  connects  with  the  Nevada 
Central   Railroad,  running    from   Battle    Mountain  to 


Austin,  Nevada.  At  Palisades  the  Central  connects 
with  the  Eureka  and  Palisades  Railroad,  and  the  rich 
mines  of  the  Eureka  mining  section  of  Nevada.  At 
Ogden  the  Central  connects  not  only  with  the  Union 
Pacific,  but  also  with  the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande,  the 
Utah  Central,  Utah  and  Northern,  and  the  Oregon 
Short  line — branching  to  all  points  of  the  compass, 
north,  south,  east,  and  west. 

Then  come  the  Southern  Pacific  lines,  running  also 
from'  the  pier  to  the  Eastern  States  through  Central 
and  Southern  California.  Practically,  two  overland 
trains  leave  Oakland  over  this  route  each  day,  as  south- 
ern connections  amount  to  that.  These  trains  leave 
Oakland  pier,  via  Port  Costa,  following  the  San  Joa- 
quin River,  z'ia  Lathrop,  through  San  Joaquin  Valley 
to  Mohave  and  the  Needles,  connecting  with  the  com- 
plicated systems  of  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Railroad, 
the  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  system,  the  St. 
Louis  and  San  Francisco  system ;  or  via  Los  Ange- 
les and  Yuma,  connecting  with  the  Maricopa  and 
Phoenix  Railway;  with  the  Sonora  Railway,  at  Nogales, 
to  Guaymas;  and  at  El  Paso  with  the  Mexican  Cen- 
tral Railway,  through  the  Mexican  States,  to  the  City 
of  Mexico ;  or  to  the  Te.xas  border,  connecting  with 
the  whole  Texas  and  Southern  system;  or  to  Galves- 
ton and  New  Orleans,  and  the  great  systems  of  rail- 
ways traversing  with  their  connections  the  whole  con- 
tinent. 

The  third  great  line  leaving  the  terminus  at  Oakland 
pier  is  the  Oregon  line,  or  Shasta  Route,  as  it  is  gener- 
ally termed,  with  its  connections,  spanning  the  great 
Northwest.  Daily  trains  leave  the  pisrvia  Sacramento, 
Marysville,  and  Red  Bluff.passingatthevery  foot  of  ma- 
jestic Mount  Shasta,  connecting  at  Montague,  in  Shasta 
Valley,  with  the  line  of  railway  to  Yreka;  or  to  the 
Oregon  line, climbing  the  Siskiyou  Mountains, through 
Rogue  River  Valley,  connecting  with  the  Oregon  sys- 
tem of  railways;  on  to  Portland,  connecting  with  two 
lines  of  the  Northern  Pacific;  to  Washington,  with 
its  system  of  railways,  and  with  the  Canadian  Pacific; 
through  Idaho,  Montana,  Dakota,  with  their  systems 
of  railways,  to  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  East. 

The  State  system  of  roads  connecting  San  Francisco 
and  Oakland  with  the  remainder  of  the  great  common- 
wealth runs  through  Alameda  County. 

Three  trains  leave  Oakland  pier  daily  for  Port  Costa. 
Benicia,  Suisun,  'and  Sacramento,  and  intermediate 
towns,  connecting  at  Sacramento  with  trains  for  Marys- 
ville, Chico,  and  Red  Bluff,  and  intermediate  towns. 
Two  trains  leave  daily  for  Sacramento  zna  Livermore, 
Lathrop,  Stockton,  and  intermediate  towns,  connect- 
ing at  Gait  with  trains  for  lone,  Amador  County,  and 
at  Stockton   with    trains    to    Copperopolis,  Calaveras 


34 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


County,  and  intermediate  towns;  also  line  to  Stanislaus 
and  other  counties  and  the  Yoseniite.  Two  trains 
leave  daily  via  Port  Costa  and  Davisville  for  Wood- 
land, Red  Bluff,  and  Redding,  connecting  at  Williams 
with  trains  for  Colusa  arid  intermediate  towns;  also  at 
Woodland  with  trains  for  Knight's  Landing.  Two 
trains  leave  daih-  via  Vallejo  Junction  for  Napa  and 
Calistoga  and  intermediate  towns,  connecting  with 
trains  at  Napa  Junction  for  Creston,  Cordelia,  and 
Suisun.  Three  trains  leave  daily  via  Vallejo  Junction 
for  Santa  Rosa,  Sonoma  County,  and  intermediate 
towns.  Two  trains  leave  daily  via  Lathrop,  through 
the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  to  Los  Angeles,  connecting 
with  the  Southern  California  network  of  railways. 
Two  trains  leave  daily  by.  the  narrow-gauge  line  for 
Los  Gatos,  Santa  Cruz,  and  intermediate  towns,  con- 
necting at  Felton  with  the  Boulder  Creek  and  Pesca- 
dero  line.  Big  Trees,  etc.,  and  at  San  Jose  with  the  New 
Almaden  line.  Two  trains  leave  daily  by  the  broad- 
gauge  line  via  Niles,  San  Jose,  and  Santa  Cruz,  Pajaro, 
Watsonville,  Martinez,  and  intermediate  towns,  to  Paso 
Robles,  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  and  intermediate 
towns. 

Sacramento  trains  connect  at  Elmira  with  trains  to 
Vacaville,  Madison,  Rumsey,  and  intermediate  towns. 
Also  at  Sacramento  with  trains  to  Folsom  and  Placer- 
ville,  and  intermediate  towns. 

The  foregoing  has  been  devoted  principally  to  the 
overland  and  State  systems  of  steam  railways  having 
terminii  in  Alameda  Count}'.  The  suburban  system 
of  the  county  comprises  the  lines  of  railways  connect- 
ing Oakland  with  the  principal  towns  of  the  count)-. 
Seven  trains  leave  Oakland  daily  for  Melrose,  Semi- 
nary Park,  San  Leandro,  San  Lorenzo,  Hay  ward,  De- 
coto,  and  Niles.  Five»trains  leave  Oakland  daily  for 
Niles,  L-vington,  Warm  Springs,  Milpitas,  and  San 
Jose.  Three  trains  leave  daily  for  Niles,  Suiiol,  Pleas- 
anton,  and  Livermore;  all  broad-gauge  lines.  On  the 
narrow-gauge  lines  five  trains  leave  Oakland  daily  for 
Alameda,  West  San  Leandro,  West  San  Lorenzo, 
Russells,  Mount  Eden,  Alvarado,  Halls,  Newark, 
Mowry's,  Alviso,  Santa  Clara,  and  San  Jose. 


STREET  CAR  LINES. 

Until  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1887,  aside  from  the 
local  trains  which  made  connection  with  half-hour 
boats  from  San  Francisco  to  Oakland,  Alameda,  and 
Berkeley,  there  were  only  six  horse-car  lines  in  the 
county.  These  were  between  Central  and  West  Oak- 
land, between  East  and  Central  Oakland,  between  Oak- 
land and  Alameda,  between  Oakland  and  Berkeley,  and 
to  the  Mountain  View  Cemetery.    These  were  as  slow 


as  the  slowest.  In  1887  the  Oakland  Railway  Com" 
pany  completed  a  cable  line  to  the  northern  suburbs 
of  Oakland.  In  1890  a  cable  line  was  completed  to 
Piedmont  Springs,  a  distance  of  about  four  miles. 
These  two  cable  roads  are  now  in  operation,  and  carry 
a  large  number  of  people  to  the  suburbs. 

In  1 891  a  number  of  gentlemen  residing  in  one  of 
the  interior  townships — in  the  vicinity  of  San  Leandro 
— concluded  to  try  an  electric  road  from  the  center  of 
Oakland  to  Hayward  on  the  south — sixteen  miles. 
The  road  was  completed  in  May,  1892,  and  has  been 
a  decided  success.  It  makes  half-hourly  trips,  con- 
necting with  the  local  trains  in  Oakland.  The  pio- 
neer electric  railroad,  however,  was  that  of  the  Oak- 
land Consolidated  Street  Railway  Company,  which 
now  has  six  different  electric  lines  in  operation.  The 
first  of  this  company's  lines  was  between  Oakland  and 
Berkeley,  and  was  the  first  electric  street-car  line  in 
Alameda  County.  It  now  has  two  lines  to  Berkeley, 
which  form  a  loop,  the  cars  going  out  one  line  re- 
turning by  the  other.  It  also  has  branch  lines  to  the 
Sixteenth  Street  overland  depot  at  West  Oakland,  and 
to  Mountain  View  Cemetery.  The  company  also  has 
franchises  for  several  other  branch  lines  now  in  pro- 
cess of  extension.  It  has  arranged  for  a  system  of 
transfers  with  the  Oakland,  San  Leandro,  and  Hayward 
electric  line,  first  mentioned,  by  which  a  distance  of 
about  nine  miles  can  be  traveled  for  one  five-cent  fare. 

The  Oakland  .Street  Railroad  Company,  operating  a 
horse  car  and  steam  dummy  line  between  Oakland 
and  Berkeley,  in  1892  converted  it  into  an  electric 
line,  and  now  has  th-e  smoothest  running  and  most 
substantial  line  in  the  L^nited  States.  It  has  a  branch 
line  about  halfway  between  Oakland  and  Berkeley,  run- 
ning across  to  the  East  Berkeley  steam  line  at  Lorin. 

The  East  Oakland  Street  Railway  Company  com- 
pleted in  1892  an  electric  line  from  the  junction  of 
Broadway  and  Eighth  Street  through  East  Oakland  to 
the  suburbs.  Other  branches  of  this  company's  lines 
now  operated  by  horses  will  be  transformed  during 
1893  into  electric  lines. 

The  California  Railway  Company,  owners  of  the 
Laundry  Farm  Railway,  purchased  the  franchise  and 
property  of  the  Alameda,  Oakland,  and  Piedmont 
Railroad  Company,  and  have  transformed  them  into 
electric  lines,  from  horses.  The  main  line  runs  from 
Seventh  Street  and  Broadway,  Oakland,  across  the 
estuary,  through  nearly  the  entire  length  of  the  city 
of  Alameda,  with  a  branch  line  on  Park  Street  and 
Park  Avenue,' across  to  Twenty-third  Avenue  and  East 
Twelfth  Street,  Oakland.  1 

The  Highland  Park  and  Fruitvale  street-car  line  has 
been  transformed  into  an  electric  line,    with    double- 


D 
O 

r 

D 

O 
O 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


35 


decked  cars,  patented  by  Mr.  E.  C.  Sessions,  the  orig- 
inal promoter  of  the  line  and  principal  owner  of  the 
East  Oakland  electric  line.  The  intention  of  this 
company  is  to  extend  its  lines  across  to  Piedmont  from 
East  Oakland.  It  will  also  have  a  terminus  at  Elev- 
enth and  Washington  Streets  and  cross  the  north 
arm  of  the  estuary  on  a  bridge  at  Eleventh  Street, 
making  connection  with  its  line  at  East  Eleventh 
Street  and  Thirteenth  Avenue. 

Electric  street  franchises  have  been  granted  from 
Broadway  to  West  Oakland  on  Eighth,  Tenth,  and 
Twelfth  Streets,  and  these  roads  will  all  be  running  be- 
fore the  end  of  1893,  making  five  electric  lines  from 
Broadway,  or  Central  Oakland,  to  the  western  end 
of  the  city. 

Franchises  are  before  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of 
the  county  for  electric  lines  skirting  the  foothills  back 
of  Oakland,  and  for  a  line  to  San  Jose  through  the 
Santa  Clara  Valley.  In  a  short  time  there  will  be  no 
county  in  the  Union  with  more  facilities  for  rapid 
travel  from  the  interior  to  the  county  seat,  and  from 
one  section  to  another. 

Horse  car  lines  will  soon  be  things  of  the  past,  and 
even  the  cables  seem  now  to  be  doomed.  In  fact, 
several  franchises  originally  asked  for  cable,  were 
changed  to  electricity  before  work  was  commenced  on 
their  construction. 

The  City  of  Oakland  has  a  local  line  of  the  Central 
Pacific  (leased  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Compan)')  run- 
ning from  its  western  end,  at  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco, 
to  Fruitvale  on  the  east,  a  distance  of  about  six  miles 
— with  eight  intermediate  stations,  less  than  a  mile 
apart,  with  half  hour  trains,  stopping  at  every  station, 
connecting  with  the  ferries  to  San  Francisco.  Upon 
this  line  the  people  travel  back  and  forth,  between 
stations,  and  from  West  Oakland  to  Fruitvale,  without 
paying  any  fares.  Such  a  thing  is  unknown  anywhere 
else  on  the  continent  or  in  the  world.  It  was  a  con- 
dition of  the  franchise  of  the  railroad  when  granted,  in 
1868,  that  no  fares  would  be  collected  within  the  lim- 
its of  the  city  of  Oakland.  The  same  custom  prevails 
in  the  city  of  Alameda  across  the  estuary  from  Oak- 
land. Half  hour  trains  also  run  from  Park  Street  in 
this  city  via  First  Street,  Oakland,  to  the  Oakland 
pier,  also  connecting  with  the  ferry.  No  fares  are 
collected  between  the  five  stations  within  the  city  lim- 
its of  Alameda.  The  company  charges  ten  cents, 
however,  for  local  travel  between  the  two  cities.  There 
is  also  a  local  line  from  the  Oakland  Pier  along  the 
bay  at  West  Oakland  to  Berkeley,  making  half-hourly 
trips  also,  connecting  with  the  San  Francisco  ferry  at 
the  same  time  with  the  Oakland  and  Alameda  trains. 
A  branch  line  runs  from  this  line  at  Shell  Mound,  just 


outside  the  city  limits  of  Oakland,  to  West  Berkeley. 
No  fares  are  charged  on  these  two  Berkeley  lines 
inside  the  town  limits,  there  being  four  local  stations 
on  each  line. 

There  is  a  ferry  system  connecting  with  the  South 
Pacific  Coast  (narrow  gauge) Railway  mentioned  above, 
with  a  pier  jutting  out  into  the  bay  from  Alameda 
Point  near  the  mouth  and  on  the  south  of  the  estuary, 
running  half-hourly  trips  to  San  Francisco,  alternating 
with  the  broad-gauge  line,  so  that  the  trips  between 
the  two  ferry  lines  are  every  fifteen  minutes.  Separate 
local  trains  connect  with  the  narrow-gauge  boats  and 
run  to  Oakland  and  Alameda,  and  no  fares  are  col- 
lected on  these  trains  within  the  limits  of  either  city. 
The  trains  run  in  different  parts  of  the  cities.  The 
tickets  of  the  two  lines  are  interchangeable,  and  pas- 
sengers may  go  from  either  line  to  San  Francisco  and 
return  by  the  other. 

There  is  also  a  line  of  ferry  steamers,  which  make 
hourly  trips,  from  the  foot  of  Broadway  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, carrying  freight  and  passengers,  charging  the 
same  fare.  This  line  of  steamers  will  shortly  increase 
their  trips  to  every  thirty  minutes,  and  reduce  the 
time  between  Oakland  and  San  Francisco  to  twenty- 
five  minutes. 

In  1854  one  little  steamer  connected  Oakland  and 
Alameda  County  with  San  Francisco,  carrying  its  few 
passengers,  at  ;gi.oo  a  trip.  To-day  eight  steamers, 
floating  palaces,  the  finest  ferry  steamers  in  the  world, 
are  employed  in  carrying  passengers  and  freight  to  and 
from  San  Francisco,  carrying  about  twenty-four  thou- 
sand daily,  or  more  than  eight  million  passengers,  and 
millions  of  pounds  of  freight  each  year.  For  a  round 
trip,  including  car  fare  to  the  landings  and  fare  on  the 
steamers,  the  price  for  commutation  tickets  is  ^3.00 
per  month,  or  ten  cents  the  round  trip;  and  single  trip 
tickets  to  San  Francisco  and  return,  twenty-five  cents. 
No  line  of  transportation  in  the  world  carries  passen- 
gers for  so  cheap  a  rate. 


THE  RAILROAD  YARDS. 

Bridges   and  Buildings,  Motive  Power  and  Repairing  Depart- 
ments. 

The  headquarters  of  the  constructive  operations  of 
the  Southern  Pacific  Company's  system  are  at  the  West 
Oalvland  yards. 

The  bridge  and  building  department  does  all  the 
building  for  the  railroad  and  for  the  Pacific  Improve- 
ment Company,  a  branch  of  the  Southern  Pacific,  with 
the  single  exception  of  the  laying  of  the  rails.  It 
primarily  is  designed  to  build  all  the  bridges  which 
the  track  and  engineer  departments  require.     The  lat- 


5 


36 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


ter  department  supplies  the  superintendent  with  a  pro- 
file of  the^space  to  be  bridged  and  the  data  necessarily 
connected  therewith.  From  this  the  designs  are 
drawn  and  the  parts  of  the  bridge  made  and  fitted  in 
these  yards.  The  bridge  is  built  in  place  by  a  gang 
from  this  department,  and  when  finished  and  turned 
over  to  the  track  department  is  ready  to  receive  the 
rails. 

The  territory  extends  all  over  the  Pacific  Coast 
to  the  most  distant  points  reached  b\'  the  Southern 
Pacific  Company's  lines,  whether  owned  or  lea.sed. 
To  the  south  it  reaches  El  Paso,  to  the  east  Ogden,  ■ 
and  toward  the  north  it  runs  into  Oregon.  Over  this 
territory  it  supplies,  with  the  exception  of  ties,  every 
bit  of  lumber  that  is  used  by  the  several  departments 
of  the  road,  even  pro\iding  the  car  department  at 
Sacramento  with  all  its  material.  When  a  new  road 
is  building,  this  department  is  at  the  end  of  track  or 
even  beyond  erecting  section  houses,  tool  houses,  and 
bunks  for  the  use  of  the  track  department.  Other 
gangs  are  at  work  along  the  scarcel)'  finished  sections 
of  the  road  erecting  stations,  section  houses,  and  all 
the  necessary  structures  incidental  to  the  needs  of  the 
railway.  The  department  is  even  farther  reaching  in 
its  scope,  for  it  does  the  work  of  construction  for  the 
Pacific  Improvement  Company.  The  new  Del  Monte 
Hotel,  at  Monterey,  Hotel  El  Carmelo.at  Pacific  Grove, 
Castle  Crag,  near  Mount  Shasta,  are  all  the  work  of 
this  department,  and  a  singular  proof  of  the  capacity 
of  the  West  Oakland  yards  is  the  fact  that  the  task  of 
supplying  the  material  for  this  enormous  structure 
did  not  in  the  least  interfere  with  the  usual  work  of 
the  shop. 

All  stations,  roundhouses,  and  other  buildings  are 
constructed  from  data  supplied  to  this  department. 
The  designs  are  drawn  and  the  specifications  made  for 
every  piece  of  constructive  work  undertaken.  All  the 
work  is  done  at  these  shops  as  far  as  possible,  and  the 
intention  is  always  to  complete  the  work  in  all  its 
parts  so  that  at  the  place  of  erection  nothing  is  left 
the  workgien  but  to  fit  the  pieces  together  according 
to  the  orders  given.  The  department  has  charge  of 
the  shipyard,  also,  at  West  Oakland,  and  has  built  or 
repaired  all  the  steamers  of  the  railroad  company's 
large  fleet  During  the  past  year  this  one  department 
has  handled  over  fifteen  million  feet  of  lumber  and  has 
given  employment  to  some  twenty-five  hundred  men, 
of  which  number  at  least  four  hundred  and  fifty  are 
carried  upon  the  pay  roll  of  the  Oakland  shops. 

Another  department  of  these  yards  is  that  of  motive 
power  and  machinery.  The  steamers  of  the  ferry 
service  upon  the  bay  and  the  Sacramento  River  are 
built  and  repaired,  and  the  locomotive  engines  receive 


all  repairs  short  of  rebuilding.  The  buildings  of  the  de- 
partment of  motive  power  and  machinery  stand  close 
together  at  the  shore  of  the  bay,  and  in  addition  to  a 
few  tool  houses  are  the  machine  shop,  the  blacksmithy, 
and  the  roundhouse.  The  division  for  which  these 
are  the  repair  shops  extends  from  Oakland  to  San  Jose 
by  Niles,  to  Sacramento  by  Livermore  on  the  Western 
Pacific,  to  Sacramento  by  Benicia  on  the  Northern 
and  California  Pacific,  and  to  Lathrop.  All  ordinary 
and  running  repairs  to  engines  employed  upon  the 
lines  between  Oakland  and  these  points  are  done  at 
these  yards;  rebuilding  is  done  at  Sacramento.  The 
main  line  and  local  systems  of  the  division  keep  ninety 
locomotives  in  use,  all  of  which  pass  through  these 
shops.  The  Oakland  local  train  service  requires  seven 
large  local  engines  built  expresslj'  for  this  use.  They 
are  built  with  the  tender  and  engine  in  one  block,  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  w'eight  is  supported  upon  the 
six  driving  wheels;  at  each  end  is  a  single  truck  of 
two  ordinary  small  wheels.  The  local  service  to 
Alameda  employs  four  small  local  engines,  which 
run  about  two  years  before  repairs  are  necessary. 
Seven  small  local  engines  are  employed  upon  the 
Berlceley  service. 

The  division  switch  engines  at  Port  Costa,  the 
West  Oakland  yard,  and  the  San  Francisco  yard, 
number  twenty-six.  Four  of  these  are  the  largest 
switch  engines  made,  being  eighteen  by  twenty-four 
ten-wheel  locomotives,  equal  in  size  to  the  largest 
freight  engines.  The  remainder  of  this  class  have 
si.xteen  and  seventeen-inch  cylinders.  Because  of  the 
heavy  service  to  which  they  are  subjected  they  come 
in  for  repairs  after  about  eighteen  months'  work.  The 
average  life  of  the  passenger  and  freight  engine  on 
these  lines  is  about  two  and  a  half  years.  The  re- 
maining twenty-eight  engines  of  the  division  are 
freight  and  extra  passenger  engines. 

The  blacksmithy  has  four  forges  and  a  steam  ham- 
mer of  ten  tons.  The  machine  shop  is  amply  fitted 
with  necessary  tools,  a  lathe  for  turning  tires,  which 
is  now  at  work  upon  steel  tires  for  the  South  Pacific 
Coast  Railroad,  because  the  shops  of  that  road  at 
Newark  have  not  the  necessary  tools  for  such  work, 
an  hydraulic  press  for  putting  wheels  on,  a  large 
planer,  a  large  slatting  machine,  three  drill  punches, 
and  six  lathes.  Here  also  is  the  air  compressor 
which  supplies  the  block  signal  system,  extending 
from  the  pier  to  Sixteenth  Street  on  the  overland 
lines,  and  to  Alice  Street  on  the  Fifteenth  Street  lines. 
The  roundhouse  has  room  for  twenty-one  locomo- 
tives. The  daily  supply  of  coal  used  by  the  locomo- 
tives is,  on  the  average,  one  hundred  tons. 

The  department  employs  one  hundred  and  ten  men. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


iJ 


and  the  pay  roll  is  growing  larger  every  month. 
These  are  classed  as  follows:  Mechanics,  thirty-four, 
comprising  smiths,  carpenters,  boiler  makers,  ma- 
chinists, and  painters;  helpers,  twenty-six;  laborers, 
twenty-two;  wipers,  fifteen,  being  boys  who  are  in  the 
line  pf  eventually  becoming  engineers;  watchmen  and 
dispatchers,  eleven ;  a  foreman  of  the  roundhouse  and 
a  foreman  of  the  machine  shop.  The  engineers  num- 
ber ninety-five,  and  the  firemen  ninety-eight.  The 
monthly  pay  roll  amounts  to  ^21,000,  of  which  the 
engineers  receive  ^10,000,  the  repairing  branch  $6,000, 
and  the  firemen  ;^5,000. 

The  passenger  engines  outside  of  Oakland  and  the 
yards  make  a  monthly  run  of  one  hundred  eighteen 
thousand  four  hundred  seventy-eight  miles;  the  freight 
engines,  sixty-four  thousand  seven  hundred  eighty- 
six  ;  way  switching,  five  thousand  six  hundred  eighty- 
two;  terminal  switching,  fifty  thousand  seven  hundred 
forty-one;  and  miscellaneous,  three  thousand  three 
hundred  ninety-six,  making  a  total  distance  traversed 
in  this  division  each  month  of  two  hundred  thirty- 
three  thousand  eighty-three  miles. 

The  shipyard,  which  belongs  to  the  bridge  building 
department,  is  close  alongside  the  repair  shops,  upon 
the  shore  of  the  creek.  It  was  first  established  in  its 
present  place  in  1874,  and  the  steamers  Oakland  and 
Transit  were  the  first  boats  built  here.  In  quick  suc- 
cession the  Capitol,  Jttlia,  Amelia,  and  El  Capitan 
were  repaired  upon  these  ways,  and  in  1878  the  So- 
lano was  built.  This,  the  mammoth  steamer  of  the 
company's  fleet,  is  the  largest  ferryboat  in  the  world. 
She  has  two  beam  engines,  each  si.xty  inches  in 
diameter,  with  eleven  feet  stroke.  Her  eight  steel 
boilers  were  built  in  Sacramento.  The  Apache  and 
Modoc  were  then  built  for  use  on  the  Sacramento 
River,  followed  in  1883  by  the  Piedmont,  as  hand- 
some a  boat  as  was  ever  used  on  any  ferry  service. 

In  the  car  department  all  cars  or  coaches  arriving 
from  the  East  are  thoroughly  inspected,  repaired,  and 
cleaned.  The  yard  set  apart  for  this  purpose  is  prob- 
ably the  most  extensive  and  best  fitted  for  the  purpose 
in  the  United  States.  Its  order  and  cleanliness  at- 
tract the  attention  of  every  Eastern  railroad  man 
who  visits  it.  There  are  ten  parallel  tracks,  one  thou- 
sand feet  long,  with  all  necessary  switches  and  cut-offs, 
running  into  a  long  brick  shop,  with  transfer  table  and 
a  separate  track  for  the  wrecking  train,  which  stands 
alone,  fully  equipped  with  all  tools,  provisions,  and 
every  requisite  for  picking  up  a  wreck.  The  main 
avenue  down  the  yard  is  thirty  feet  between  tracks, 
and  here  are  kept  in  handy  rack  sand  bins  all  tools  and 
material  required  for  the  work.  From  two  hundred 
to  four  hundred  passenger  coaches  are  cleaned 
monthly  at  these  yards. 


CHAPTER  VL 

ECCLESIASTICAL  AND  FRATERNAL. 

Denominational  Statistics — All  the  Various  Evangelical  and 
the  Roman  Catholic  Societies  Have  Churches  in  Different 
Parts  of  the  County — Other  Religious  Institutions — The 
Fraternities — They  are  all  Represented — Clubs — Charitable 
Institutions,  etc. 

Congrec;ationalism. — There  are  at  the  present  time 
fifteen  Congregational  Churches  and  seven  missions  in 
Alameda  County.  The  oldest  organization  is  that  of 
the  First  Church  of  Oakland,  Rev.  J.  K.  McLean,  pas- 
tor. It  was  organized  December  9,  i860,  with  seven- 
teen members.  The  aggregate  membership  in  the 
county  now  is  nearly  twenty-six  hundred.  The  de- 
nomination has  fifteen  church  edifices,  of  the  aggregate 
value  of  ^218,250.  The  annual  coiftributions  aggre- 
gate nearly  ;$45,ooo  for  congregational  expenses,  and 
about  ;^I 5,000  for  home  and  foreign  missions,  or  a 
total  of  ^60,000.  There  are  twenty-five  Sunday 
schools,  with  a  membership  of  three  thousand  one 
hundred. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  county  this  denomination 
has  a  theological  seminary  (the  Pacific)  and  a  prepar- 
atory school  (the  Hopkins  Academy).  The  two  own 
real  estate  valued  at  $100,000,  and  have  endowments 
of  $200,000. 

The  First  Congregational  Church  of  Oakland  has  a 
membership  of  one  thousand  members,  and  raises  an- 
nually a  large  sum  for  the  missions.  It  has  the  finest 
church  edifice  and  chapel  in  the  county,  which  is 
shown  in  plate  No.  18. 

Presbyterianism. —  There  are  in  the  county  nine- 
teen Presbyterian  congregations,  with  a  total  member- 
ship of  nearly  three  thousand.  The  number  of  Sun- 
day school  scholars  in  these  churches,  with  their  mis- 
sion schools,  is  three  thousand  eight  hundred.  The 
total  amount  of  money  contributed  by  the  members  of 
these  churches  during  the  past  year  for  all  purposes 
was  about  $65,000.'  The  largest  of  these  congrega- 
tions is  that  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  ofOak- 
land,  Rev.  Robert  F.  Coyle,  D.  D.  (not  long  ago  of 
the  Fullerton  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church  af  Chicago), 
pastor.  It  now  has  a  membership  of  upward  of  one 
thousand,  having  gained  about  three  hundred  the  past 
year.  It  is  shown  in  plate  13  in  this  book.  Its  mem- 
bers contributed  about  $26,000  in  1 892,  of  which  nearly 
$4,000  was  for  missionary  work  at  home  and  abroad. 
These  congregations  are  now  in  the  newly  created 
Presbytery  of  Oakland,  which  includes  Alameda  and 
Contra  Costa  Counties.  There  is  a  social  organization 
known  as  the  Presbyterian  Social  Union  of  Alameda 
County,  which  holds  quarterly  social  meetings. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


There  are  also  two  small  United  Presbyterian  mission 
congregations  in  the  county — one  in  Oakland  and  the 
other  in  Alameda — and  a  Reformed  Presbyterian  Chi- 
nese mission,  neither  of  them  yet  having  a  church 
structure.  Both  of  the  United  Presbyterian  congre- 
gations expect  to  build  this  year,  having  secured 
building  sites. 

Methodist  Episcopal. — One  of  the  earliest  denom- 
inations to  organize  a  society  in  Alameda  County  was 
that  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  it  is  now  one  of 
the  strongest.  It  has  an  aggregate  membership  of 
nearly  three  thousand  in  the  county.  The  first  society 
now  numbers  about  one  thousand  members  and  has  a 
large  church  edifice.  It  has  upward  of  twenty  build- 
ings in  the  county,  of  an  aggregate  value  of  about 
^150,000.  Its 'total  annual  contributions  amount  to 
;^SOjOOO  and  upward.  It  is  one  of  the  foremost  in 
Sunday  school  work. 

The  church  structure  is  very  complete  in  its  ap- 
pointments in  the  way  of  Sunday  school  rooms,  class 
rooms,  parlors,  libraries,  etc.  The  sum  of  $10,000 
was  expended  in  improvements  last  j-ear. 

TrfE  Seventh-d.\y  Adven'tists. — This  people  intro- 
duced their  faith  into  Oakland  about  the  year  1874, 
first  by  means  of  tent  meetings  and  the  circulation  of 
literature  pertaining  to  their  peculiar  doctrines.  In 
1876  they  organized  a  church,  and  erected  a  house  of 
worship  at  the  corner  of  1 3th  and  Clay  Streets.  Soon 
after  the  introduction  of  their  faith,  they  also  estab- 
lished a  publishing  house,  now  known  as  the  Pacific 
Press  Publishing  Company.  This  establishment  has 
had  a  marvelous  growth,  and  is  now  capitalized  at 
$200,000.  The  church  organization  also  outgrew  its 
first  building,  and  in  1887  built  a  larger  house,  the 
auditorium  having  a  seating  capacity  of  about  1,200. 
This  house  stands  at  the  corner  of  I2th  and  Brush 
Streets,  on  the  same  block  as  the  publishing  house. 
The  membership  of  the  church  is  450,  with  a  Sabbath 
school  of  416  members,  at  present  writing. 

Unitarl\nism. — ^The  first  Unitarian  society  was 
founded  in  Oakland  under  the  auspices  of  Rev.  Charles 
W.  Wendte,  in  1886,  with  about  fifty  families,  and  at 
the  present  it  numbers  about  three  hundred  families, 
or  one  thousand  souls.  This  society  of  liberal  Chris- 
tians erected  a  handsome  church  edifice  in  1 891,  at  a 
cost  of  $80,000,  and  contributes  an  annual  income  of 
about  $9,000.  Its  bond  of  union  is:  "In  the  love  of 
truth  and  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ  we  unite  in  the 
worship  of  God  and  the  service  of  man."  It  has  about 
two  hundred  in  its  Sunday  school.  It  has  also  con- 
nected with  it  several  societies  and  clubs,  among  them 
the   Starr  King  Fraternity  of  two  hundred  sixty-six 


members,  which  maintains  reading  room,  entertainments 
and  literary  classes,  etc.;  Unity  Club  of  young  people; 
Lend  a  Hand  arid  Yule  Clubs;  Woman's  Auxiliary, 
eighty  members.  There  are  also  Unitarian  congre- 
gations in  Alameda  and  Berkeley,  recently  organized, 
which  have  not  yet  erected  church  edifices.  The  build- 
ing of  the  Oakland   society  is  shown  in  plate  No.  17. 

Roman  Catholic. — There  are  twelve  Roman  Cath- 
olic parishes  in  the  county,  with  a  total  membership  of 
about  seven  thousand  five  hundred,  and  church  and 
residence  property  valued  at  $200,000.  Flourishing 
parochial  schools  are  running  in  each  parish.  Some 
of  these  schools  have  prepared  and  sent  specimens  of 
their  work  for  exhibit  in  the  Educational  Department 
at  Chicago. 

One  of  the  finest  churches  of  the  denomination  on 
the  Pacific  Coast  is  that  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales  parish, 
Oakland,  just  completed  this  year.  It  is  shown  in 
plate  No.  22. 

Protestant  Episcopal. — There  are  five  Protestant 
Episcopal  parishes  in  Oakland;  two  of  them,  St.  John's 
and  St.  Paul's  Churches,  are  in  central  Oakland;  the 
Church  of  the  Advent,  East  Oakland;  St.  Andrews, 
West  Oakland,  and  Trinity,  North  Oakland.  There 
are  also  flourishing  parisiies  in  Alameda  and  Berkeley, 
and  missions  in  other  parts  of  the  county. 

Universalism. — The  First  Universalist  congregation 
of  Oakland  was  organized  some  j'ears  ago  and  has  a 
neat  chapel  seating  about  five  hundred  persons.  It  is 
under  the  pa.storal  chargeof  Rev.  Samuel  Goodenough, 
and  has  for  many  years  been  under  his  care. 

Baptists. — The  first  organization  of  the  Baptists  in 
Alameda  was  that  of  the  First  Church,  Oakland,  in  1854. 
There  are  now  ten  organizations  in  the  county, with  nine 
church  buildings,  of  the  aggregate  value  of  about  $70,- 
000.  The  total  membership  is  about  one  thousand 
six  hundred.  The  annual  contributions  for  all  pur- 
poses averages  about  $25,000.  There  are  thirteen 
Sunday  schools,  with  one  thousand  four  hundred 
pupils  enrolled. 

The  Free  Baptists  have  an  organization  in  Oakland 
with  a  membership  of  about  one  hundred  and  a  build- 
ing and  lot  worth  about  $6,000. 

Disciples  of  Christ. — There  are  two  congregations 
of  the  Christian  Church  in  Alameda  County,  with  a 
membership  of  about  six  hundred.  The  largest  of 
these  is  in  Oakland  and  includes  in  its  membership 
leading  citizens.  The  other  is  at  Irvington,  in  Wash- 
ington Township. 

Evangelical  Lutheran. — There  are  three  Lu- 
theran congregations  in  Alameda  County;  two  of  these 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


39 


are  German.  They  have  church  structures  and  large 
congregations.  The  English  Lutheran  congregation 
have  recently  purchased  a  lot  in  the  central  portion  of 
Oakland  and  are  now  erecting  a  handsome  church 
thereon. 

Hebrew  Congregations. — There  are  two  He- 
brew congregations  in  Oakland — one  known  as  the 
Orthodox  and  the  other  Reformed-  The  First  Hebrew 
Congregation  owns  a  synagogue  at  Clay  and  Thirteenth 
Streets  and  has  regular  services.  At  present  it  is 
without  a  rabbi.  The  other  congregation,  known  as 
Beth  Israel,  is  not  ver)-  large  and  is  renting  a  chapel 
for  a  synagogue. 

Latter-day  Saints — There  is  a  small  congrega- 
tion of  Latter-day  Saints  (Josephites — anti-polygamy 
Mormons)  who  own  a  small  church  and  lot  in  Oak- 
land. 

Oakland  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 
— The  association  in  Oakland  was  organized  in  1 879, 
and  has  had  a  perpetual  existence  from  that  date  for- 
ward. Its  earlier  years  were  filled  with  many  trials 
and  difficulties,  and  at  some  points  it  seemed  as  though 
the  work  must  be  given  up.  These  difficulties  were 
all  surmounted,  however,  and  to-day  the  association 
has  its  home  in  the  handsome  building  on  the  corner 
of  Twelfth  and  Clay  Streets.  The  lot  and  improve- 
ments upon  it  are  to-day  worth  nearly,  if  not  quite, 
^100,000.  The  erection  of  the  building  is  due  to  the 
persistent  efforts  of  Captain  Bray,  who  was  secretary 
during  the  years  from  1885  to  1891. 

The  nominal  membership  fee  is  five  dollars  per  year, 
including  evening  educational  class  advantages,  to- 
gether with  all  the  privileges  of  the  gymnasium,  bowl- 
ing alley,  bathrooms,  reading  room,  members'  parlor, 
social  entertainments,  receptions,  and  frequent  literary 
entertainments  of  a  high  order.  The  Junior  Depart- 
ment includes  bo)'S  from  the  ages  of  eleven  to  sixteen, 
who  have  all  the  abo\'e  privileges,  under  certain  re- 
strictions and  during  certain  hours  of  the  week.  In 
the  Physical  Department  a  thorough  system  of  medical 
examinations  and  measurements  is  carried  out  under 
the  directions  of  the  physical  instructor.  No  boy  or 
young  man  is  permitted  to  exercise  in  the  gymnasium 
without  having  first  taken  the  necessary  examination, 
to  determine  whether  or  not  he  has  any  physical  im- 
perfections which  would  make  any  line  of  exercise  in- 
jurious to  him. 

The  management  of  the  association  is,  at  the  present 
time,  vested  in  a  Board  of  Directors,  composed  of  eight- 
een business  men  of  the  city.  The  membership  roll 
la-st  year (1892)  reached  seven  hundred. 

Young  Women's  Christian  Association. — On  Oc- 


tober 5,  1877,  a  number  of  ladies  of  Oakland  met  to- 
gether and  organized  the  Young  Women's  Christian 
Association  of  Oakland.  The  association  was  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  the  State,  on  November  19, 
1882.  Its  work  among  homeless  and  friendless  young 
women  was  similar  to  that  done  by  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association.  Its  object  was  outlined  to  be 
for  the  purposes  of  establishing  an  industrial  depart- 
ment to  provide  employment  for  destitute  and  unem- 
ployed women;  also  a  reading  room  and  library  for 
girls  and  women;  to  seek  out  young  women  and 
uncared-for  children  residing  in  the  city,  or  who,  on 
arriving  in  Oakland  friendless  or  homeless,  needed 
advice,  sympathy,  or  temporary  aid,  to  extend  to  them 
the  hand  of  encouragement,  to  surround  them  with 
moral  and  religious  influences,  and  to  provide  them 
with  a  Christian  home,  to  carry  Bible  truths,  Christian 
sympathy,  love,  and  help  to  families  needing  such  min- 
istrations, also  to  persons  confined  in  hospitals  and 
prisons. 

A  new,  handsome  building  of  three  stories  in 
height  was  erected  during  1892  and  dedicated  shortly 
before  Christmas.  Its  purpose  and  use  is  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 
The  lot  and  building  are  worth  about  ,^40,000.  It  was 
erected  largely  by  the  liberal  contributions  of  friends. 
It  is  being  furnished  the  same  way. 

Young  Men's  Institute. — Taking  pattern  from  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association's  work  among 
young  men,  and  especially  among  those  homeless  and 
friendless  strangers  from  the  Eastern  States,  the  younger 
members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  organized  a 
few  years  ago  a  society  among  the  young  members  of 
the  denomination,  called  the  Young  Men's  Insti- 
tute. There  are  a  number  of  these  societies  or 
councils  in  Alameda  County.  They  have  a  very  bene- 
ficial effect,  providing  rooms  and  places  where  young 
men  without  homes  may  spend  pleasant  evenings. 

Young  Ladies'  Institute. — Similar  to  the  Young 
Women's  Christian  Association  is  the  Young  Ladies' 
Institute,  with  its  membership  confined  to  the  young 
women  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  or  adherents 
of  that  communion.  It  has  three  institutes  in  Ala- 
meda County. 


THE  FRATERNAL  SOCIETIES. 

Free  and  Accepted  Masons — Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows— Knights  of  Pythias — Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men— Knights  of  Honor — American  Legion  of  Honor — 
Chosen  Friends — Woodmen  of  the  World,  etc. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  Pioneers  the  fraternal  so- 
cieties of  the  older  civilization  followed  to  California, 


40 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


and  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows'  lodges  were  or- 
ganized in  every  mining  camp  of  any  prominence. 
Many  of  these  old  lodges  still  exist  in  the  mining 
towns,  and  scores  of  members  still  belong  who  annu- 
ally send  their  dues,  but  who  have  drifted  away  into 
other  towns  and  business,  and  have  not  been  in  their 
lodge  room  for  many  years.  All  the  fraternal  socie- 
ties of  prominence  known  in  the  Eastern  States  have 
lodges,  councils,  or  camps  in  California. 

Masonic. — There  is  a  lodge  of  F.  and  A.  M.  in 
nearly  all  the  cities  and  towns  of  Alameda  County. 
The  total  number  of  lodges  in  the  county  is  nine, 
with  an  aggregate  membership  of  one  thousand  and 
fifty. 

There  are  three  chapters  of  Royal  Arch  Masons^ 
with  three  hundred  and  fifty  members. 

There  is  one  commandery  of  Knights  Templar, 
with  a  membership  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five. 

There  are  a  lodge,  chapter  and  council  of  the  Ac- 
cepted and  Ancient  Scottish  Rite,  with  one  hundred 
members. 

There  is  a  Council  of  Royal  and  selected  Masters,  of 
one  hundred  members. 

There  are  four  chapters  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star  in  the  county,  with  a  membership  of  five  hundred 
and  fifty. 

Odd  Fellows. — In  Alameda  County  there  are  eight- 
een subordinate  lodges  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  and  two  thousand  members. 

There  are  three  encampments  of  the  Patriarchal 
branch,  with  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  members. 

There  is  one  canton  of  Patriarchs  Militant,  with  a 
membership  of  sixty. 

There  are  eight  Rebekah  Degree  lodges,  and  a 
membership  of  seven  hundred. 

Knights  of  Pythias. — This  order,  founded  on  the 
legendary  friendship  of  Damon  and  Pythias,  spread  to 
the  Pacific  Coast  shortly  after  its  organization  in  the 
East,  and  its  lodges  in  Alameda  County  were  among 
the  earliest  in  California.  There  are  now  seven 
lodges,  with  a  membership  of  one  thousand.  There  is 
a  division  of  the  Uniform  Rank,  and  several  circles  of 
Pythian  Sisters  in  the  county. 

Red  Men. — The  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men 
had  several  flourishing  tribes  in  Alameda  County 
prior  to  ten  years  ago,  but  some,  if  not  all,  surren- 
dered their  charters  owing  to  local  troubles.  There 
are  now  four  tribes,  with  a  membership  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty. 

Foresters. — There  are  in  Alameda  County  seven 
courts  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  with 
nine  hundred   members.     There  are  also  five  circles 


of  the  Companions  of  the  Forest,  with  a  membership  of 
two  hundred. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  have  five 
courts  and  about  one  hundred  members. 

United  Workmen. — Nearly  all  the  death  benefit 
or  bequeathment  societies  in  the  Union  have  lodges 
councils,  etc.,  in  Alameda  County,  foremost  among 
them  being  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen, 
which  organized  the  first  three  lodges  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  in  Oakland  in  1876,  and  from  this  nucleus  spread 
across  the  bay  to  San  Francisco  and  over  the  State 
and  coast,  there  being  now  about  eighteen  thousand  in 
the  State.  The  first  meeting  of  the  Grand  Lodge  was 
held  in  Oakland.  There  are  now  twenty-two  lodges 
in  Alameda  County,  with  a  total  membership  of  two 
thousand  three  hundred. 

KNIGHTS  OF  Honor.— The  Knights  of  Honor 
came  to  the  Pacific  Coast  in  1 879.  They  have  in  Ala- 
meda County  five  lodges  and  a  total  membership  of 
three  hundred. 

Chosen  Friends. — The  Order  of  Chosen  Friends, 
prior  to  the  division  and  seceding  of  the  so-called  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Chosen  Friends,  of  the  Pacific  Coast, 
had  upward  of  one  thousand  members  in  Alameda 
County.  It  now  has  seven  councils  and  four  hundred 
and  fifty  members  in  the  county. 

Woodmen  of  the  World — The  Woodmen  of  the 
World  were  organized  in  Alameda  County  by  members 
from  Colorado  in  1892,  and  now  have  six  camps  in  the 
county,  with  a  membership  of  four  hundred. 

Native  Sons  .^nd  Daughters. — The  Native  Sons 
of  the  Golden  WeiJt  is  an  organization  composed  of 
young  men — natives  of  California.  They  have  nine 
parlors  in  Alameda  County,  with  eight  hundred  mem- 
bers. 

The  Native  Daughters  of  the  Golden  West  have 
two  parlors  in  Alameda  County.  This  organization  is 
similar  to  that  of  the  Native  Sons. 

Grand  Army. — There  are  in  Alameda  County  about 
one  thousand  five  hundred  survivors  of  the  Union  Army 
and  Navy  of  the  late  Civil  War.  Of  these  about  four 
hundred  only  are  in  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 
The.se  are  in  five  posts  in  various  parts  of  the  county. 


TEMPERANCE  SOCIETIES. 

There  are  five  lodges  of  Good  Templars  in  Alameda 
County,  with  a  membership  of  three  hundred. 

The  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Temperance  have  one 
division  in  Alameda  County. 

The  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  has  a 
membership  of  about  five  hundred  in  Alameda  County, 
with  branches  in  the  various  towns. 


PLATE 


CONGREeATIoNAL   CliURSH,    12 1-"  a.  CLAY  sts.  OAKLAND. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


41 


The  Non-Partisan  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union  lias  a  branch  society  in  Oakland. 

The  Young  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union 
has  an  organization  in  the  county. 

There  is  a  Francis  Murpliy  Temperance  Society 
with  rooms  in  Oakland,  kept  up  by  contributions,  hav- 
ing reading  rooms,  parlors,  etc. 


latter  on  a  cove  in  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  at  the 
foot  of  Grand  Street,  Alameda. 


MISCELLANEOUS  FRATERNAL  SOCIETIES. 

The  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  have  one  lodge. 

There  is  one  lodge  of  the  Knights  and  Lacies  of 
Honor. 

The  Sons  of  Veterans  have  one  camp. 

The  Benevolent  Protective  Order  of  Elks  have  a 
strong  lodge. 

There  is  one  grove  of  the  United  Ancient  Order  of 
Druids. 

The  Equitable  Aid  Union  has  one  lodge  in  the 
county. 

An  Assembly  of  the  National  Union  was  recently 
formed  in  Oakland. 

The  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle  have  recently  or- 
ganized a  castle. 

The  Sons  of  St.  George  and  Daughters  of  St.  George 
have  each  a  strong  society. 

The  Patriotic  Sons  of  America  have  one  camp. 

The  Order  of  Scottish  Clans  have  one  clan. 

There  is  one  lodge  of  the  Order  of  Herman's  Sons. 

There  is  a  branch  of  the  St.  Andrew's  Society. 

There  is  a  branch  of  the  British  Benevolent  Society 
and  also  an  organization  known  as  the  British  Ameri- 
can Association  in  Alameda. 

The  Woman's  Relief  Corps,  auxiliary  to  the  Grand 
Army,  have  four  corps  in  Alameda  County,  each  of 
which  raises  funds  and  dispenses  relief  to  the  destitute 
old  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  families. 

There  is  also  one  circle  of  the  Ladies  of  the  Grand 
Army  organized  for  the  same  purpose. 


CLUBS. 


There  are  in  Alameda  County  about  twenty-five 
clubs  of  various  kinds.  There  are  in  Oakland  twelve 
social  clubs,  most  prominent  among  them  the  Athenian 
and  Deutscher.  There  are  two  athletic  clubs, — the 
Reliance  and  Acme.  There  are  three  boat  clubs, — 
the  Oakland  Canoe,  the  Alameda,  and  the  Encinal  of 
Alameda.  The  two  former  have  boathouses  on  the 
estuary  of  San  Antonio,  or  Oakland  Creek,  and  the 


CHARITABLE   INSTITUTIONS. 

There  are  a  number  of  charitable  institutions  in  the 
county  for  the  purpose  of  dispensing  relief  to  the  needy 
and  destitute.  Among  the  most  prominent  of  these  is 
the  Associated  Charities  of  Oakland,  composed  of  del- 
egates from  the  various  religious  denominations  and 
fraternal  societies.  This  society  investigates  cases  of 
needy  poor  and  destitute,  and  in  conjunction  with  the 
Oakland  Benevolent  Society,  dispenses  aid.  These  two 
societies  work  together. 

The  Catholic  Ladies'  Aid  Society  was  originated  by 
Mrs.  Mary  Lohse,  an  Alameda  County  lady,  some 
years  ago,  and  is  now  a  State  society,  /.  f., has  branches 
in  various  counties.  It  raises  funds  and  dispenses  aid 
to  deserving  poor. 

The  Daughters  of  Israel  is  a  society  formed  of  He- 
brew ladies,  but  their  charity  is  not  confined  exclu- 
sively to  the  needy  of  their  denomination. 

The  German  Ladies'  Aid  Society  is  another  society 
that  disburses  considerable  sums  annually  to  worthy 
poor. 

The  Oakland  Ladies'  Relief  Society  was  organized 
many  years  ago-  It  maintains  an  Old  Ladies'  Home 
at  Temescal,  a  suburb  of  Oakland. 

Home  for  Orphans. — In  1887  a  society  was  organ- 
ized in  East  Oakland  by  a  few  philanthropic  ladies  to 
aid  children  of  destitute  families  in  a  small  way. 
They  met  occasionally  for  the  purpose  of  sewing  for 
and  supplying  them  with  garments.  They  picked  up 
from  time  to  time  about  a  dozen  waifs  and  cared  for  • 
them  until  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  remove  to  West 
Oakland.  Here  a  small  cottage  was  rented  and  the 
children  placed  in  charge  of  a  matron.  The  work  of 
the  society  finally  awakened  public  interest  and  it  grew 
and  prospered  so  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  re- 
move to  more  commodious  quarters.  These  were 
found  at  the  corner  of  Taylor  and  Campbell  Streets, 
West  Oakland.  This  property  was  purchased  by  the 
society,  which  had  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the 
West  Oakland  Home  for  the  Care  and  Training  of 
Orphans,  Half  Orphans  and  Destitute  Children,  for 
,$8,000.  The  late  Charles  Crocker  gave  ;$  1,000  and 
the  remaining  ^7,000  was  contributed  by  citizens,  in 
smaller  amounts,  giving  the  home  to  the  association 
free  from  debt.  In  1890  the  home  was  found  inade- 
quate on  account  of  the  large  increase  in  the  number 
of  children  to  care  for,  and  an  annex  was  erected  at  a 
cost  of  ,$8,500  additional. 


42 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

CITY  OF  OAKLAND  AND  ENVIRONS. 

The  Second  City  in  California — "Athens  of  the  Pacific" — 
Great  Railroad  Center — Unexcelled  Climate — Fine  Har- 
bor— Superior  Manufacturing  Sites — Educational  Advan- 
tages— Excellent  Public  Schools  and  Colleges  for  Tech- 
nical Training. 

The  city  of  Oakland,  the  county  seat  of  Alameda 
County,  California,  is  on  the  mainland,  on  the  shores 
of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  directly  opposite  the  city 
and  peninsula  of  that  name.  It  is  partly  in  Oakland 
and  partly  in  Brooklyn  Township.  The  following  con- 
densed statement  with  refei'ence  to  this  city  was  pub- 
lished in  the  December,  1892,  North  American  Review: 

"Oakland  is  the  second  city  in  California;  popula- 
tion, sixty  thousand;  steady  annual  increase,  four  thou- 
sand; situation  directly  opposite  San  Francisco  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  bay,  eight  miles  from  city  to 
city.  Trains  and  ferryboats  make  connecting  trips, 
one  every  fifteen  minutes;  time  across,  thirty  minutes. 
Ferry  trains  penetrate  the  business  and  residence  por- 
tions; single  fare,  fifteen  cents;  round  trip,  twentj'-five 
cents;  monthly  commutation  ticket,  daily  round  trip, 
;g3.00per month,  or  fivecents  across — eight  miles  forfive 
cents.  Number  of  passengers  daily,  over  twenty  thou- 
sand. The  steamer  ride  (fifteen  minutesj  is  across  the 
most  beautiful  harbor  in  America.  Oakland  is  the 
actual  terminus  of  the  transcontinental  railroad;  all 
inland  trains  stop  here,  San  Francisco  being  reached 
by  ferry.  Freight  and  passenger  service  are  separate. 
Passenger  boats  carry  from  two  thousand  to  four  thou- 
sand passengers  each.  The  importance  of  Oakland  as 
a  railroad  center  is  well  stated  in  the  official  'Report 
of  the  Internal  Commerce  of  the  United  States,'  at 
page  178,  thus:  'Oakland  is  in  fact  a  great  railroad 
center,  the  system  which  penetrates  there  being  local, 
suburban.  State,  coast,  and  transcontinental.'  Daily 
departure  and  arrival  of  trains,  over  three  hundred. 

"  Oakland  Harbor.-^— On  the  south  side  of  the  cit\- 
stretches  the  only  east  side  harbor,  an  arm  of  the  baj- ; 
^990,000  completes  it;  the  work  can  be  done  in  two 
years;  ;^  1,5 34,000  has  already  been  expended  by  the 
government.  Harbor  freight  trafific,  1874,  only  one 
hundred  fifty-four  thousand  three  hundred  tons;  in 
1888,  two  million  five  hundred  ninety  thousand  tons; 
it  is  now  over  three  million  tons  annually. 

"Electric  Railroads. — City,  suburban  and  cross 
town  roads,  fifty  miles;  cable  roads,  ten  miles;  any 
fare,  with  transfers,  five  cents;  steam  train  from  eastern 
to  western  city  limits,  five  miles.  No  charge  within 
city  limits  allowed. 


"Resources,  Wealth,  etc. — The  taxable  base,  real 
estate  alone  in  the  city,  1^42, 000,000;  personal  property, 
^4,000,000.  One  dollar  on  the  hundred  is  the  charter 
limit  of  city  tax.  Streets,  bituminized  or  macadamized, 
one  hundred  miles;  sewers,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles. 

"Manufactories. — Ninety-eight;  people  employed, 
five  thousand — including  cotton  mills,  nail  works,  iron- 
works, fruit  packing  establishments,  carriage  factories, 
piano  factory,  flour  mills,  planing  mills,  potteries,  shirt 
factories,  tanneries,  boiler  works,  paint  factories,  boot 
and  shoe  factory,  sash  and  door  factory,  brass  works, 
jute  mills,  glass  works,  railroad  shops,  etc.  Banks, 
seven;  capital  stock  paid  in,  ;§  1,604,000;  deposits, 
$10,513,530. 

"Athens  of  the  Pacific— Properly  so  called  be- 
cause of  educational  and  geographical  resemblances. 
To  the  west  lie  the  bay  and  islands,  like  the  Grecian 
Archipelago;  eastward  rise  the  slope  and  Coast  Range 
foothills,  of  the  same  height  and  appearance  as  those 
about  Athens.  This  slope  rises  gently  from  the  bay 
shore;  at  from  three  to  seven  miles  inland  it  rises  into 
undulating  foothills  from  fifty  to  five  hundred  feet  high. 
No  view  surpasses  that  here  presented  facing  the  bay 
and  Golden  Gale. 

"Schools  and  Churches. — Public  school  children, 
ten  thousand;  private  school  children,  four  thousand. 
Bonds  now  being  e.xpended,  ^400,000,  to  enlarge  the 
common  and  high  school  facilities,  now  rivaling  the 
very  best.  California  had  the  benefit  of  the  older 
States'  experience,  and  has  leaped  to  the  educational 
vanguard  at  once.  The  State  University  is  but  five 
miles  north  of  Oakland's  center,  at  Berkeley — endow- 
ment $5,000,000;  students,  thirteen  hundred.  Oakland 
churches,  sixty-six,  all  denominations;  membership, 
eighteen  thousand. 

"Societies. — Fraternal,  musical,  and  art,  of  opera- 
tive activity,  are  here  found,  as  well  as  in  the  oldest 
States. 

"Clim.vte. — Fresh,  cool  ocean  atmosphere,  with  no 
harsh  winds.  Why? — Because  west  of  San  Francisco 
rises  a  range  of  hills  one  hundred  feet  high,  east  of 
Oakland  a  range  at  its  summit  from  seven  hundred  to 
nine  hundred  feet  high.  This  pitches  the  summer 
trade  winds  of  the  ocean  upward,  as  they  pass  over 
Oakland,  and  to  a  height  of  (say)  nine  hundred  feet. 
Oakland,  cool,  shaded  and  fanned,  but  never  wind- 
swept, lies  in  the  triangle  of  repose,  on  the  slope  east 
of  the  bay,  west  of  its  own  hills,  and  under  the  cloud- 
bearing  trade  winds  of  summer.  There  is  more  differ- 
ence between  the  San  Francisco  and  the  Oakland  cli- 
mate than  would  be  found  in  five  hundred  miles'  travel 
in  the  Mississippi  Valley. 


VIEW(L00KING   EAST)  OF  THE     CALIFORNIA    STATE     UNIVERS' 


PLATE  19. 


y,    GROUNDS  &    BUILDINGS,      BERKELEY       CAL.       ,    /      .<  , 


vievUlookinG  WEST)  OF  THE    CALIFORNIA    STATE    UNIVERSfl 


plate:  zo 


~  It 


BERKELEY.     BAY  SL CITY   OF   SAN   FRANCISCO    &   GOLDEN  GATE. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


43 


"A  soil  warm  and  sand}-,  produces  fruit  and  flowers 
the  year  round;  the  grade  furnislies  perfect  drainage; 
germ  diseases  are  practically  unknown;  mortalit}-,  onl}- 
thirteen  to  the  thousand.  Flowers  bloom  here  out- 
doors the  }-ear  round,  thousands  of  them.  The  palm, 
banana,  orange,  magnolia,  heliotrope  and  rose  flourish 
side  b)'  side.  Thrift  and  comfort  are  universal.  The 
green  lawn  is  in  front  of  the  cottage  as  well  as  the 
palatial  residence.  County  population-,  one  hundred 
thousand.  Every  fruit,  grain,  and  flower,  ever}-  vine 
and  tree  produced  in  California,  thri\-es  in  Alameda 
Count)'. 

"Oakland  is  the  second  city  in  the  State,  but  only  in 
wealth  and  population.  In  education,  refinement,  life 
enjoyment  and  civilization  force,  Oakland  stands  first 
on  the  Pacific  Coast." 

The  above  is  a  concise  resume  of  Oakland  and  her 
peculiar  advantages,  but  it  may  be  well  to  go  more 
into  detail  for  the  purposes  of  this  work.  The  dis- 
tance intervening  between  Oakland  and  San  Francisco 
is  five  miles,  and  it  is  sometimes  said  that  Oakland  is 
on  the  "land  side,"  and  San  Francisco  on  the  "water 
side" — meaning  thereby  that  while  Oakland  is  on  the 
mainland,  and  is  easy  of  access  from  north,  east  and 
south,  San  Francisco  is  built  upon  a  narrow  peninsula 
which  is  impossible  of  access  by  land  except  from  the 
south.  This  cause  gives  to  Oakland  the  termini  of  the 
principal  railroads  already  existing,  and  also  much 
greater  prospective  importance,  as  destined  to  be  one 
of  the  greatest  railroad  centers  in  the  United  States  a 
few  years  hence.  Railroads,  a  good  harbor,  numerous 
large  manufactories,  and  ample  facilities  for  more,  give 
Oakland  first-class  importance  among  Pacific  Coast 
cities  in  an  industrial  sense. 

With  reference  to  this  a  recent  writer  says:  "The 
sharp  contrast  between  the  two  sides  of  the  great  Bay 
of  San  Francisco  impressed  the  minds  of  the  earliest 
settlers.  On  one  side  a  peninsula  of  land,  surrounded 
by  deep  water,  but  itself  divided  between  the  posses- 
sion of  shifting  sands  of  the  beach  and  of  steep  hill- 
sides, swept  every  day  by  chill}-  breezes  and  often  by 
volumes  of  fog  from  the  neighboring  ocean — little 
herbage  and  scarcely  a  tree  in  sight;  on  the -other  side 
there  was  a  natural  park — a  broad  and  gentle  slope 
covered  with  groves  and  groups  of  magnificent  oaks, 
which  came  down  quite  to  the  water's  edge  and  dipped 
their  branches  in  the  sea — the  whole  covered  in  winter 
and  spring  by  a  brilliant  carpet  of  luxuriant  grass  and 
red,  white,  and  purple  flowers.  But  the  better  natural 
harbor  being  on  the  other  side  of  the  bay,  the  great 
city  of  California  was  founded  there,  and  Oakland  was 
left  to  grow  slowly  for  many  years.  But  gradually,  as 
means  of  communication  were  established,  and  as  peo- 


ple learned  that  the  difference  between  the  climates  of 
the  two  sides  of  the  bay  was  as  great  as  can  ordinarily 
be  found  by  going  from  one  zone  to  another,  and 
especially  as  schools  and  municipal  improvements  in- 
creased, the  population  of  Oakland  grew,  because  this 
was  the  best  side  of  the  bay  to  live  upon.  The  people 
who  came  had  means  and  taste.  They  spared — as 
often  as  they  could — the  native  oaks,  and  they  planted 
European  forest  trees  between  them;  they  lined  the 
streets  with  the  trees  of  the  temperate  and  the  tropical 
zones;  they  built  elegant  houses  and  surrounded  them 
with  beautiful  gardens;  they  made  streets  which  are  a 
paradise  for  drives,  and,  going  further  back  to  the 
nearest  hills,  they  planted  their  villas  and  their  gar- 
dens upon  the  slopes  or  in  the  warm  elbows  of  the 
hills,  where  they  can  look  down  upon  the  forest  of 
roofs  and  spires,  upon  the  blue  waters  of  the  bay,  upon 
the  western  wall  of  mountains,  upon  the  Golden  Gate 
opening  through  it,  and  upon  the  distant  ocean  be- 
yond. Such  is  fair  Oakland,  'the  Athens  of  the  Pa- 
cific,' and  the  home  of  much  that  is  best  and  most 
promising  in  California." 


EARLY    HISTORY    AND   STEADY   PROGRESS. 

The  first  actual  settler  on  the  site  of  what  is  now 
the  city  of  Oakland,  aside  from  the  Spanish  grantees, 
was  Moses  Chase,  who  pitched  his  tent  at  what  is  now 
the  foot  of  Broadway,  in  the  winter  of  1849—50,  as  a 
hunter.  He  was  followed  by  the  Patten  Brothers,  in 
February,  1850.  Next  came  Colonel  Henry  S.  Fitch 
and  Colonel  Whitney,  who,  foreseeing  that  a  great 
city  would  in  time  spring  upon  this  land  side  of  the 
bay,  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  purchase  the 
site  from  Peralta,  the  Spanish  grantee.  In  the  summer 
of  1850  came  Messrs.  Moore,  Carpentier,  and  Adams, 
who  squatted  upon  the  land,  claiming  that  it  belonged 
to  the  government  and  not  to  Peralta,  and  erected  a 
shanty  near  the  foot  of  Broadway.  The  site  of  the 
present  city  was  then  covered  with  dense  thickets  of 
brush  and  live  oak  shrubs  and  trees,  through  which 
ran  cattle  trails  in  different  directions.  The  advent  of 
these  last-named  gentlemen  was  the  inauguration  of 
the  squatter  war  and  title  contests,  which  lasted 
for  years.  This  agitation  had  a  tendency  to  attract 
many  to  Oakland  who  probably  would  have  sought 
other  portions  of  the  State. 

In  1852  Oakland  was  incorporated  as  a  town,  by  an 
Act  of  the  Legislature,  and  the  Act  was  signed  by  Gov- 
ernor Bigler  at  Benicia,  then  the  capital  of  the  State, 
on  May  21,  and  the  first  election  under  the  charter 
was  held  on  the  second  Monday  of  the  same  month. 
This  was  the  inauguration  of  the  great  city  which  was 


44 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


to  be,  and  now  is,  and  which  wise  men  then  saw  in 
the  distance,  as  through  a  glass  darkly.  The  same 
year  a  steamer  was  put  upon  the  creek  route,  to  run 
between  this  embryo  city  and  San  Francisco. 

In  the  spring  of  1853  the  attention  of  scholars  was 
directed  to  this  fair  and  picturesque  site,  as  a  desirable 
place  to  found  institutions  of  learning,  and  Rev.  Henr\' 
Duiant  established  here  the  Oakland  College  School, 
which  was  the  germ  .of  the  State  University,  Dr.  Du- 
rant  becoming  its  first  president. 

In  March,  1854,  Oakland  was  inaugurated  as  a  city, 
and  H.  W.  Carpentier  was  elected  the  first  Mayor;  and 
soon  after,  that  powerful  engine  of  civilization  and 
progress,  the  press,  was  founded  in  this  young  city, 
and  a  paper  started  called  the  Alameda  Express.  This, 
however,  v/as  preceded  by  that  other  great  civilizing 
and  refining  power — the  church — Rev.  Samuel  B.  Bell 
having  established  a  small  clunch  somewhere  in  the 
vicinity  of  what  is  now  Third  and  Franklin  Streets. 

The  city  grew  slowly  up  to  the  year  1864,  when  it 
started  out  in  the  real  race  of  progressive  and  rapid 
growth.  The  third  great  civilizer  and  aid  in  progres- 
sion had  come  into  the  field — the  locomotive.  Ground 
had  been  broken  for  the  construction  of  the  great 
transcontinental  railway,  and  the  railroad  builders 
were  at  work;  and  Oakland  was  the  only  point  where 
the  railroad  and  tide  water  could  meet;  and  it  was  de- 
termined to  make  this  city  the  terminus  of  that  great 
highway  which  was  being  pushed  across  the  continent. 
It  took  some  six  years  to  get  it  here,  but  it  came,  for 
it  had  no  other  outlet  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  where  car 
and  ship  could  meet  and  e.xchange  cargoes. 

The  federal  census  of  i?6o  showed  a  population  in 
the  city  limits  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty- 
three.  For  the  next  ten  years  Oakland  forged  ahead, 
the  census  of  1870  showing  a  population  of  ten  thou- 
sandfivehundred.  The  next  decade  showed  an  increase 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  per  cent,  the  census  of  1880 
giving  a  population  of  thirty-five  thousand  five  hun- 
dred. Since  1880  the  increase  in  population  has  been 
remarkable,  and  to-day  the  lowest  estimate  is  fifty-five 
thousand,  while  those  acknowledged  to  be  experts 
claim  that  the  population  is  not  less  than  sixty  thou- 
sand. Add  to  this  the  population  of  the  natural  sub- 
urbs of  Oakland — Berkeley,  Claremont,  Temescal, 
Lorin,  Golden  Gate,  Piedmont,  Brooklyn,  outside  the 
city  limits,  and  the  population  would  be  not  less  than 
seventy-five  thousand,  or  nearly  fifteen  thousand  more 
than  the  population  of  the  whole  county  in  1880. 

The  increase  in  wealth  has  kept  pace  with  the  in- 
crease in  population.  In  1854  the  assessed  valuation 
of  property  in  the  city  limits  was  $100,905;  in    1864, 


$794,121;  in  1870,  $4,257,294;  in  1875,519,869,162; 
in  1880,  $28,691,640;  in  1893,  $46,500,000. 

In  1 854  Oakland  was  without  streets,  in  fact,  though 
the  survey  showed  them  upon  the  maps.  To-day  there 
are  some  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  legal  streets, 
about  one  hundred  miles  of  them  paved  and  macad- 
amized, furnishing  the  finest  drives  of  an)'  cit}-  on  the 
continent.  There  are  two  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
of  sidewalks,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  of 
them  concrete  paved.  Within  the  past  three  years 
many  streets  have  been  paved  with  bituminous  rock,  a 
pavement  the  material  for  which  nature  has  furnished 
this  State  with  an  inexhaustible  supply,  ready  mi.xed 
and  prepared,  and  when  laid  makes  the  finest,  smooth- 
est, cleanest,  and  most  durable  of  pavements,  and 
what  is  of  greater  benefit  still,  it  is  comparatively 
noiseless. 

In  1853  the  first  attempt  at  the  organization  of  a  fire 
department  was  made.  Three  volunteer  companies 
were  organized.  The  Board  of  Trustees  appropriated 
$2,000  for  the  purchase  of  an  engine,  and  two  cisterns 
were  constructed.  This  was  tiie  starting  of  wliat  has 
since  grown  into  one  of  the  most  efficient  fire  depart- 
ments on  the  coast. 

The  area  of  Oakland  has  increased  with  its  increase 
of  population.  Three  times  its  charter  lines  have  been 
extended  since  its  first  incorporation  as  a  city,  in  1854. 
The  area  of  the  city  at  the  present  time  is  about  four- 
teen square  miles;  but  the  time  is  not  far  distant  wlien 
there  will  be  eitlier  a  consolidated  city  and  county  of 
Oakland,  or  its  cliarter  lines  will  be  extended  to  the 
whole  limits  of  thetwo townships, taking  inthenumerous 
growing  and  populous  suburbs  which  arc  now  realiz- 
ing the  great  need  of  municipal  government.  The 
agitation  of  this  subject  commenced  about  three  years 
ago. 

It  ma\-  be  of  interest  to  note  and  give  the  dates  of  a 
few  of  the  more  important  events  in  the  city's  history: 
In  1866  the  first  sewer  was  laid,  and  the  same  year 
marked  the  introduction  of  city  water  by  the  Contra 
Costa  Water  Company.  In  1867  began  the  sy.stem  of 
street  improvement  with  the  macadamizing  of  Broadway. 
In  1872  eleven  miles  of  street  were  macadamized,  and 
the  same  year  the  houses  were  ordered  to  be  numbered. 
In  1875  the  Main  Lake  sewer,  by  means  of  which  the 
Oakland  street  drains  can  be  flushed  twice  every  daj' 
with  clear  salt  water,  was  begun,  and  a  year  later  it 
was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $166,000 — the  most  ex- 
pensive public  improvement  which  had  then  been 
made.  In  1877  the  present  handsome  City  Hall  was 
built  upon  the  site  of  an  older  one,  which  was  burned 
down.  The  dates  of  several  other  innovations  were 
as  follows:    1853,  opening  of  the  first  public  school; 


\ 


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SOLAR       SALT    WORKS    ON  ALAMEDA    C  R  E  E  K,(.near  the  bay  or  san  franciscd  )       OFFICE    k 


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5ACRAMENT0   ST.,    SAN   FRANCISCD      B    F.    BARTON    PROP.    ^.'^^V.  EVpoLT'MfpoX''///rs""/.°'5'''' 

5.S.S   CRYSTAL.INE    jALT    PILES. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


45 


1854,  first  newspaper,  a  weekly  called  the  Contra  Costa; 
i860,  harbor  improvements  undertaken  at  expense  of 
city  and  county;  1863,  the  first  railroad  operated,  from 
Broadway  to  end  of  wharf,  four  miles;  1865,  railroad 
extended  from  Broadway  to  Brooklyn  and  later  same 
year  to  Hay  ward;  1 864,  first  street  railroad ;  1865,  gas 
introduced;  1865,  jute  mills  established;  1867,  first 
bank;  1868,  fire  limits  established;  1868,  Lusk  Can- 
ning Factory  opened;  1869,  High  School  founded; 
first  overland  train  enters  Oakland;  1870,  Webster 
Street  bridge  built;  1872,  annexation  of  Brooklyn; 
1872,  opening  of  San  Pablo  Avenue;  1873,  extension 
of  the  local  railroad;  1873,  city  wharf  built;  1874, 
United  States  Government  work  begun  on  harbor; 
1874,  reorganization  of  Fire  Department;  1876,  Eighth 
Street  bridge  built;  1876,  fire  alarm  telegraph,  intro- 
duced; 1878,  Free  Public  Library;  1880,  South  Pacific 
Coast  (narrow  gauge)  Railroad  enters  Oakland;  1881, 
California  and  Nevada  Narrow  Gauge  Road  started; 
1881,  California  Hosiery  Company's  factorj^;  1882, 
Judson  Iron  Works  and  Pacific  Nail  Works;  1884, 
cotton  mills;  1886,  Board  of  Trade  established;  1888, 
adoption  of  new  city  charter;  1892,  voting  of  $400,000 
for  new  schoolhouses. 


PARKS,   WATER    PARK   AND    BOULEVARD. 

In  the  body  of  the  city  there  is  a  salt  water  lake, 
known  as  Lake  Merritt,  or  Lake  Peralta,  connecting  by- 
tide  gates  with  the  harbor  and  bay.  This  lake,  or 
water  park,  belongs  to  the  city.  Its  waters  can  be  re- 
newed with  each  ebb  and  flow  of  the  tide.  The  main 
sewer  of  the  city  is  flushed  from  it.  When  tide  is 
low  in  the  bay,  the  high  tide  caught  in  the  lake  is 
turned  in  at  the  eastern  end  of  this  main  sewer  and 
rushes  through,  discharging  in  the  bay.  Proceedings 
are  well  under  way  for  the  beautifying  of  this  lake,  or 
water  park.  The  improvement  will  include  a  boule- 
vard around  it,  a  distance  of  about  three  miles.  This 
boulevard  will  be  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide, 
will  provide  for  foot  walks,  street  cars,  and  a  double 
driveway,  and  will  also  involve  the  dredging  of  the 
lake  to  a  uniform  depth  of  about  five  feet.  This,  when 
completed,  will  furnish  at  once  as  beautiful  a  land 
drive  and  as  beautiful  a  water  park  as  can  be  found  in 
this  country.  The  sum  of  ^1,000,000,  it  is  estimated, 
will  be  required  to  complete  this  work.  A  portion  of 
the  boulevard  is  now  under  construction,  and  a  steam 
dredger  was  built  during  the  past  winter  upon  the 
lake  for  the  purpose  of  cleaning  it  out.  There  are 
also  eleven  handsome,  well-kept  parks  in  various  por- 
tions of  the  city.  The  grass  and  shrubbery  in  these 
are  green  all  the  year  round,  and,  in  strange  contrast 


with  those  of  the  Eastern  cities,  men,  women,  and 
children  may  be  seen — the  children  enjoying  them- 
selves playing  in  the  walks,  and  the  older  persons 
walking  around,  or  sitting  enjoying  the  pleasant 
weather^-in  November,  December,  January,  and  Feb- 
ruary as  much  as  in  April,  May,  June,  July,  August, 
September,  or  October. 


OAKLAND  HARBOR. 

The  most  magnificent  harbor  on  the  American  con- 
tinent is  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  which  is  capable 
of  accommodating  the  maritime  fleets  and  navies  of  the 
world.  A  portion  of  this  immense  harbor  and  the 
safest  part  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  city  of  Oakland, 
being  an  arm  of  the  bay  completely  sheltered.  It  is 
here  that  many  vessels,  especially  the  whaling  fleet, 
cast  anchors  for  a  winter  haven.  Along  this  arm  of 
the  bay,  whose  geographical  name  is  the  Estuary  of 
San  Antonio,  but  commonly  known  as  Oakland  Creek, 
terminating  at  East  Oakland  in  a  large  circular  basin, 
are  facilities  for  wharves  and  manufactories  second  to 
none  on  the  Pacific  Coast  or  in  the  world.  This  har- 
bor is  being  gradually  improved.  The  sum  of  $1,5  34,- 
000  has  been  expended  upon  it  by  the  government, 
and  ;$990,000  will  complete  the  work  yet  to  be  done. 
It  is  expected  that  this  will  be  finished  next  year.  As 
yet  there  is  only  a  beginning  in  the  matter  of  wharves 
and  of  manufacturing  industries  along  this  water  front 
of  more  than  forty  miles  in  Alameda  County.  The 
difference  in  the  tonnage  of  Oakland  Harbor  between 
[874  and  last  year  will  show  to  what  extent  it  has 
grown  in  less  than  twenty  years.  The  tonnage  traffic 
in  1874  was  only  one  hundred  fifty-four  thousand 
three  hundred  tons.  In  1888  it  had  growp  to  two 
million  five  hundred  ninety  thousand,  and  the  past  year 
it  was  over  three  million  tons.  When  the  improve- 
ments now  in  progress  are  completed  and  the  tidal 
canal  completed  between  the  San  Leandro  Bay  and 
the  estuary,  it  is  confidently  expected  that  a  number 
of  new  wharves  will  be  erected  and  the  tonnage  largely 
increased.  This  canal  is  partially  cut  through  the 
neck  of  land  between  the -two  bodies  of  water,  and  it 
is  understood  will  be  completed  in  the  course  of  a 
year.  It  is  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  channel  of 
the  estuary  flushed  out,  by  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the 
tides. 

Oakland,  however,  has  in  effect  two  harbors — an  in- 
ner and  an  outer.  The  former  will  admit  vessels  draw- 
ing eighteen  feet  of  water,  and  the  latter  possesses  a 
depth  varying  frorri  nothing  at  the  shore  line  to  a 
depth  accommodating  the  largest  ships  at  the  outer 
end  of  the  existing  wharves — e.xtending  from  the  end 


46 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


of  the  mole  on  the  northerly  side  more  than  two  miles 
into  the  bay.  About  all  the  transhipments  from  vessel 
to  car,  and  vice  versa,  are  made  at  the  end  of  these 
long  wharves,  while  the  local  shipping  traffic  is  con- 
ducted in  the  inner  harbor — the  estuary  and  the  basin, 
as  the  lower  and  the  upper  portions  are  respectively 
known.  During  the  year  1 891-92  the  shipping  traffic 
in  the  estuary  and  the  basin  amounted  to  upward  of 
two  million  tons,  and  the  traffic  at  the  end  of  the  pier 
to  perhaps  lialf  as  much  more.  When  the  depth  of 
water  in  the  estuary  and  its  approaches  has  been  in- 
creased from  fourteen  to  twenty  feet  or  more,  there 
will  be  scarcely  any  limit  to  the  growth  of  the  com- 
merce of  Oakland,  and  that  can  be  done  if  the  present 
plans  of  the  United  States  engineers  are  executed. 
Even  with  the  present  depth  of  water,  the  shipping 
trade  of  Oakland  would  amount  to  several  times  its 
present  magnitude,  if  there  were  'more  wharves,  and 
more  particularly  if  there  was  warehouse  accommoda- 
tion. Perhaps  there  is  nothing  for  which  Oakland 
waits  with  so  muchjmpatience  at  this  time  as  a  good 
dock  and  warehouse  system.  The  present  indications 
are  favorable  to  the  early  attention  of  docks  and  ware- 
houses, the  work  having  been  already  commenced  on 
the  inner  harbor. 


THE  CITY  GOVERNMENT. 

The  legislative  department  of  the  city  is  under  the 
control  of  a  City  Council,  composed  of  eleven  members, 
elected  biennially,  one  from  each  of  the  seven  wards 
and  four  from  the  city  at  large.  The  Council  is  the 
Board  of  Aldermen  of  the  city.  It  grants  franchises, 
fixes  tax  levies  and  water  rates.  Orders  for  all  street 
work  and  laying  sewers  emanate  from  the  City  Coun- 
cil. The  work  on  streets  and  sewers,  however,  is  done 
by  the  Superintendent  of  Streets  under  the  direction  of 
the  Board  of  Public  Works  who  are  appointed  by  the 
Mayor  to  serve  four  years.  The  members  of  the  Coun- 
cil serve  practically  without  compensation,  receiving 
the  nominal  salary  of  ^40  per  month. 

The  executive  of  the  City  Government  is  the  Mayor, 
who  receives  a  salary  of  $3,000  per  year.  His  duties 
are  similar  to  those  of  like  office  in  other  cities.  His 
term  of  office  is  two  years,  and  he  is  elected  b\-  the 
people. 

The  other  officers,  such  as  Auditor,  Assessor,  Tax 
Collector,  etc.,  are  similar  in  name  and  duty  to  those 
of  the  same  nature  in  other  cities  of  the  same  class. 

The  Board  of  Education  also  consists  of  eleven 
members,  elected  biennially  at  the  same  time  and  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  members  of  the  City  Council. 
All  legislation  pertaining  to  the  public  schools  is  con- 


trolled by  this  Board,  but  the  carrying  out  of  contracts 
for  schoool  buildings,  furniture,  and  supplies  is  left  to 
the  Board  of  Public  Works.  The  City  Superintendent 
of  Schools  is  ex-officio  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Ed- 
ucation. 

The  Board  of  Public  Works  and  cx-officio  Board  of 
Police  and  Fire  Commissioners  are  appointed  by  the 
Mayor  of  the  city.  Their  terms  are  four  years  and  are 
so  fi.xed  that  one  member  goes  out  of  office  every  two 
years,  thus  giving  each  Mayor  (whose  term  is  only 
two  years)  the  appointment  of  one  member  of  the 
Board  of  Public  Works,  except  in  case  of  resignation, 
removal,  or  death,  in  which  case  the  Mayor  then  in 
office  fills  the  vacancies.  Only  two  of  the  Board  of 
Public  Works  may  be  members  of  one  political  party. 
All  street  work  and  other  public  work  of  the  city  is 
under  the  direction  of  this  Board.  It  appoints  the 
Superintendent  of  Streets  and  his  deputies  and  assi.st- 
ants,  also  the  Chief  Engineer  and  other  officers  and 
employes  of  the  Fire  Department,  the  Chief,  Cap- 
tains, and  members  of  the  Police  force,  all  of  whom 
serve  during  the  pleasure  of  the  Board,  but  can  only 
be  removed  for  cause. 

There  is  a  Board  of  Health,  consisting  of  five  mem- 
bers, appointed  by  the  Mayor,  whose  terms  of  office  are 
two  years  and  are  so  appointed  that  two  of  them  go 
out  of  office  and  the  other  three  in  alternate  years. 
The  Board  of  Health  has  charge  of  all  sanitary  meas- 
ures. It  has  the  appointing  of  a  Health  Officer,  who 
is  also  City  Physician,  and  must  be  at  least  thirty  years 
of  age  and  a  graduate  of  a  regular  medical  college. 
The  Health  Officer  is  the  executive  officer  of  the 
Board,  and  must  see  that  all  laws  and  ordinances  relat- 
ing to  the  public  health  and  the  rules  and  regulations 
of  the  Board  of  Health  are  enforced.  There  are  also 
Sanitary  and  Plumbing  Inspectors  under  the  direction 
of  the  Health  Officer  and  the  Board  of  Health. 


PROPERTY   VALUES    IN   AND   NEAR 
OAKLAND. 

While  Oakland  is  all  that  could  be  desired  as  a 
place  of  residence,  it  is  a  matter  of  fact  that  those  seek, 
ing  investment  for  the  purpose  of  making  it  a  perma- 
nent place  of  abode  will  find  property  values  very 
moderate  and  taxation  comparatively  light. 

The  most  valuable  residence  property  in  the  city  is 
held  at  $150  a  front  foot.  Medium  property  may  be 
had  from  $50  to  $75,  and  cheap  lots  which  are  access- 
ible by  steam  and  street  cars  are  sold  at  from  ^20  to 
$dp  a  front  foot,  while  suburban  sites  may  be  pur- 
chased at  from  $10  to  ;g20  per  front  foot. 


PLATE  22, 


CHURCH      OF    ST  FRANCIS  oE  S/\LES,      CGKNER    Of     21=^    AND     GROVE      5ii    OAKLAND     CAL 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


47 


The  following  comparative  tables  were  recently  pre- 
pared b\^  Mr.  A.  A.  Denison,  showing  that,  notwith- 
standing the  natural  advantages  of  climate,  location, 
etc.,  real  estate  is  cheap  in  comparison  with  other  cities 
of  California  and  Eastern  States : — 

Price  per  foot  of  most  valuable  business  property: — • 

Chicago |5,ooo 

Minneapolis i.Soo 

Kansas  City i>75o 

Los  Angeles '•  3.ooo 

Oakland 1.500 

San  Diego 2,000 

San    Francisco S.ooo 

Price  per  front  foot  of  cheapest  business  propert}- 
within  one  mile  of  center  of  business: — 

Chicago $300 

Minneapolis 100 

Kansas  City 60 

Los    Angeles  i5'^ 

Oakland 4° 

San   Diego 100 

San  Francisco 150 

Price  per  front  foot  of  most  desirable  residence  prop- 
ert)':— 

Cli icago  $800 

MinneapoHs 300 

Kansas  City 200 

Los  Angeles : 500 

Oakland 100 

San  Diego 200 

San  Francisco 600 

Price  per  lot  (with  size)  of  good  medium  residence 
property: — 

Chicago,  25x150 $5,000 

Minneapolis,  25x150 3,000 

Kansas  City,  50x100 fe.ooo  to    4,000 

Los  Angeles,  50x100 3,000  to    5,000 

Oakland,  50.XI00 1,500  to     2,000' 

"  25x100 850  to    1,200 

San  Diego,  50x140 2,000  to    3,500 

San  Francisco,  25x100 i,Soo  to    4,000 

Price  of  cheapest  residence  propert)',  giving  size 
of  lots,  within  two  miles  of  business  center: — 

Chicago,  25x100  |2,ooo 

Minneapolis,  50x100 600 

Kansas  Cit}',  50x100 600 

Los  Angeles,  50x150 400 

Oakland,  25x100 150 

San  Diego,  25x100. 200 

San  Francisco,  25x100 500 

Highest  and  lowest  prices  of  acres  within  four  miles 
of  business  center: — 

Chicago |io,ooo  to  ^20,000 

Minneapolis 1,250  to      5,000 

Kansas  City 500  to    1,0000 

Los  Angeles 1,750  to      5,000 

Oakland  250  to       2,000 

San  Diego..". 500  to      5,000 


OAKLAND'S  SCHOOLS. 

Early  History  and   Present  Status — Excellent  Buildings  and 

Competent  Instructors. 

The  history  of  the  public  schools  of  Oakland  dur- 
ing the  past  thirty-five  years  is  an  interesting  one  and 
shows  wonderful  progress.  Parents  desiring  a  de- 
lightful residence  place  with  the  best  school  advan- 
tages, will  find  Oakland  one  of  the  best,  if  not  the 
ver)'  best,  place  in  the  United  States  for  the  education 
of  their  children. 

The  earliest  record  of  public  schools  in  Oakland  is 
found  in  a  note  of  a  Board  of  Education  meeting  on 
October  14,  1858,  when  R.  A.  Morse  presented  his 
bill  for  $675  for  teaching  school  during  the  ten 
months  next  preceding,  and  so  fragmentary  are  the 
records  of  the  time  that  it  is  not  shown  whether  the 
bill  was  ever  paid.  In  February,  i860,  Franklin 
Warner  succeeded  Mr.  Morse,  and  in  March,  1862, 
the  Board  of  Education  purchased  the  lot  on  which 
the  Lafayette  School  now  stands,  and  erected  thereon 
a  two-roomed  schoolhouse. 

The  first  Act  of  the  State  Legislature  creating  a 
Board  of  Education  for  the  city  of  Oakland  was 
approved  March  31,  1866,  and  in  accordance  there- 
with eight  members  were  appointed  by  the  City 
Council.  The  teachers,  in  1867,  under  this  Board, 
were  six  in  number,  having  the  charge  of  three  hun- 
dred and  eighty -two  pupils,  and  the  pay  roll  amounted 
to  only  ,$510.  The  Legislature  of  1868  passed  an  Act 
enlarging  the  powers  of  the  Board  of  Education  of 
Oakland,  defining  its  powers  and  duties.  During  the 
past  twenty-five  years  the  public  schools  have  been 
in  a  highly  flourishing  condition,  and  are  now  second 
to  none  in  the  Union. 

During  the  first  \'ear  after  the  passage  of  the  new 
Act,  fifteen  teachers  wevt  paid  ^1,240  monthly,  and 
had  the  charge  of  five  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
pupils.  The  Legislature  of  1868  also  approved  an 
Act  authorizing  Oakland  to  issue  ^50,000  in  ten 
per  cent  bonds,  for  the  purchase  of  school  sites  and 
erection  of  buildings.  Four  other  issues  of  bonds 
have  since  been  made  for  school  purposes.  In 
1870,  ^50,000  of  ten  per  cents;  in  1872,^50,000  in 
eight  per  cents;  in  1874,  ,$12,000  in  eight  per  cents, 
and  at  a  special  bond  election  in  1892,  the  sum 
of  $400,000  was  voted  for  the  use  of  the  School 
Department  in  purchasing  building  sites  and  erection 
of  new  buildings.  In  1874  the  first  two  issues  were 
redeemed  by  a  new  issue  of  ,$100,000  in  eight  per 
cents.     These  bonds  have  been  nearly  all  redeemed. 

The  erection  of  a  new  High  School  at  a  cost  of 
$165,000  is  now  in  progress,  and,  when  completed,  the 
present    High     School    building    will    be    used   as    a 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


Grammar  School.  The  remaining  3235,000,  raised 
from  the  sale  of  the  $400,000  bonds,  is  being  ex- 
pended in  the  erection  of  new  buildings,  and  in 
making  needed  additions  to  others.  When  these  are 
completed,  Oakland  will  be  one  of  the  best  equipped 
cities,  with  regard  to  its  public  schools,  in  the  Union. 

There  is  one  feature  of  the  Oakland  School  Depart- 
ment which  is  unique — in  which  it  stands  quite  alone 
— and  that  is  in  the  possession  of  a  fully  equipped 
Astronomical  Observatory.  This  is  the  only  Public 
School  Department  in  the  world  which  is  thus  pro- 
vided. The  Observatory  building  was  erected  and 
equipped  with  funds  furnished  for  that  purpose  by  a 
private  citizen  of  Oakland,  the  late  Anthony  Chabot, 
and  by  him  was  made  a  free  gift  to  the  Board  of 
Education,  in  trust  for  the  city  of  Oakland.  Its  orig- 
inal cost  was  $15,000.  By  a  bequest  in  his  will,  he 
left  an  additional  sum  for  improvements  to  the  Observ- 
atory, and  these  have  been  recently  completed  by 
the  Board  of  Education.  It  is  situated  in  the- middle 
of  Lafayette  Square,  which  is  bounded  by  Tenth, 
Eleventh,  Jefferson  and  Grove  Streets,  and  the  use  of 
which,  for  this  purpose,  was  given  by  the  City 
Council.  Its  exact  geographical  position  is  in  latitude 
37  deg.,  48  min.,  5  sees,  north;  longitude  122  deg., 
16  min.,  34.4  sees,  west  from  Greenwich,  or,  in  time, 
8  hours,  9  minutes,  6.3  seconds  west  from  Greenwich  ; 
3  hours,  O  minutes,  54.2  seconds  west  from  Wash- 
ington. 

The  Superintendent  of  Schools  is  Director  of  the 
Observatoiy,  and  the  Astronomers  in  charge  are 
Charles  Burckhalter,  of  Oakland,  and  C.  B.  Hill,  of  the 
San  Francisco  Sub-office  of  the  United  States  Coa.st 
and  Geodetic  Survey.  The  in.struments  are  as  fol- 
lows: A  Clark  eight-inch  equatorial,  with  eyepieces 
of  powers  from  forty  to  eight  hundred  ;  a  fine  position 
micrometer  and  spectroscope ;  a  Fauth  transit,  the 
exact  counterpart  of  the  in.strunient  in  use  upon 
Mount  Hamilton.  The  chronograph  and  mean  time 
clocks  were  made  b\'  Fauth,  the  sidereal  clock  b\' 
Howard,  and  the  chronometers  by  Negus. 

Monday  evenings  are  reserved  for  the  schools,  and 
Friday  evenings  for  Observatory  work.  The  other 
evenings  of  the  week,  except  Sunday,  are  given  to  the 
public.  Cards  of  admission  are  obtained  on  applica- 
tion to  the  Director  of  the  observatory, the  City  .Super- 
intendent of  Schools,  at  his  office  in  the  City  Hall, 
where  a  record  of  appointments  is  kept  and  publicly 
displayed.  Ten  is  the  largest  number  for  which  cards 
are  issued  for  any  one  evening. 

The  teachers  under  the  direction  of  the  Oakland 
Board  of  Education  are  paid  as  well  as  the  best  in  anv 
city  in  the  land.     In  the  upper  grades  there  are  man\- 


cities  where  the  salaries  are  much  higher  than  those 
paid  in  Oakland,  and  this  is  particularly  true  as  re- 
gards principalships,  but  in  the  grammar  and  primary 
grades  the  salaries  are  in  advance  of  those  paid  in 
most  places. 

All  teachers  are  required  to  hold  a  certificate  given 
by  the  City  Board  of  E.xamination,  composed  of  the 
Superintendent  and  four  other  members  appointed  by 
the  Board  of  Education.  This  Board  holds  examina- 
tions semiannually,  and  is  further  empowered  to 
grant  city  certificates  without  examination  in  certain 
specified  cases. 

The  system  of  classification  now  satisfactorily  in 
use  comprises  eleven  grades,  from  the  time  of  the 
pupil's  entrance,  at  the  age  of  six,  into  the  primar)- 
department,  at  the  eighth  or  lowest  grade,  to  gradua- 
tion, at  the  age  of  .seventeen,  from  the  High  School, 
thoroughly  fitted  for  entrance,  primarily,  to  the  State 
University,  and,  incidentally,  to  any  of  the  great  col- 
leges of  the  country.  Four  numbered  grades  are 
included,  respectively,  in  the  Primary  and  Grammar 
Schools,  and  the  High  School  has  three  classes. 
Furthermore,  each  grade  is  subdivided  by  scholarship 
into  "A"  and  "B"  divisions,  subject  to  a  semiannual 
reclassification  and  promotion. 

The  High  School  ranks,  according  to  the  opniion 
of  experienced  educators,  with  the  very  best  of  its 
class  in  the  whole  country.  Three  courses  are  car- 
ried on  side  by  side,  each  uniting  with  the  others  in 
certain  branches  ;  these  are  the  literary,  scientific,  and 
classical  courses,  and  in  all  of  them  special  promi- 
nence is  given  to  English,  in  which  branch  of  study  it 
is  frequently  found  that  candidates  for  universitj- 
matriculation  are  poorly  prepared^. 

Drawing  is  studied  through  all  the  grades,  under  a 
special  in.structor,  becoming  naturally  more  complex 
with  the  advanced  pupils,  until,  with  the  High  School 
grades,  it  takes  the  form  of  industrial  and  inventive 
drawing.  A  department  f)f  industrial  education  is 
maintained,  also  under  a  special  instructor,  where 
there  have  been  fitted  up  benches  for  woodworkers, 
etc. 

For  the  benefit  of  such  as  are  at  work  during  the 
ordinary  school  hours,  a  night  school  is  maintained 
for  five  nights  of  every  week  at  one  of  the  Grammar 
Schools  in  each  locality  of  the  city,  and  at  the  High 
School  building,  where  boys  and  girls  who  cannot 
attend  school  during  the  daytime,  have  an  opportu- 
nity of  obtaining  an  education.  The  sessions  last  two 
hours  and  a  half 

There  are  at  present  fourteen  public  schools  in 
Oakland,  and  three   others,  including  the   new    High 


°OLIV!N^    VINEYARD"      WINERY   PLANT    and   RESIDE 


PLATL  23 


;^^^V.,*<^^^-x^- 


-?  ^IC-.^  r-4  ,i  •^4  ^'^'• 


E    OF    JULIUS    P.    SMITH,     LIVERMORE  VALLEY,    CAL 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


49 


School,  will  be  erected  within  the  next  twelve 
months. 

The  enrollment  of  children  in  the  public  schools  at 
the  present  time  is  nearly  eleven  thousand.  The  daily 
average  attendance  for  one  hundred  and  ninety-nine 
days' of  the  school  year  1892-93,  was  nearly  seven 
thousand.  There  are  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight 
regular  teachers  in  the  employ  of  the  department. 
Of  these  twenty-two  are  males  and  one  hundred  and 
seventy-six  females.  The  salary  of  the  highest  is 
;g225  per  month — that  of  the  principal  of  the  High- 
School — and  the  lowest,  the  half-day  assistants,  ^40 
per  month.  The  tax  levy  for  school  purposes  during 
1892-93  was  twenty-four  cents  on  the  $100  valuation. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  that  anyone 
desiring  to  find  a  location  for  a  healthful  and  pleasant 
residence,  with  une.xcelled  climatic  conditions,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  best  educational  and  other  equally 
desirable  advantages  for  their  families,  cannot  find  a 
better  place  to  settle  down  than  Oakland  or  some  of 
the  towns  in  Alameda  County  adjacent  to  the  county 
seat. 


PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 

The  Oakland  Free  Library  has  about  five  thousand 
members  and  has  twenty  five  thousand  volumes.  It 
is  governed  by  five  trustees,  elected  at  the  biennial 
municipal  election.  There  is  a  reading  room  in  con- 
nection with  the  library.  The  reading  room  is  kept 
open  daily,  holiday's  excepted,  between  the  hours  of 
8  A.  M.  and  9  p.  m.  There  are  under  control  of  the 
library  trustees  four  branch  reading  rooms,  one  each 
in  East  Oakland,  West  Oakland,  North  Oakland,  and 
at  Twenty-third  Avenue.  These  are  under  the 
charge  of  curators,  and  have  many  visitors  daily. 


NEWSPAPERS. 

There  are  in  Oakland  three  daily  newspapers,  one 
morning  and  two  evening.  The  oldest  of  these  is  the 
Morning  Times.  The  evening  papers  are  the  Ti'ibuue 
and  the  Enquire?-.  These  papers  are  all  ably  con- 
ducted, and  cover  fully  each  day  all  portions  of  the 
city,  as  well  as  having  special  news  reports  from  the 
suburban  towns.  They  also  give  daily  the  general 
news  of  the  State,  our  country,  and  the  world.  Be- 
sides these  there  are  twelve  secular  and  six  religious 
weeklies  published  in  the  city. 


Lake  Temescal,  located  in  the  hills  northeast  of  Oak- 
land. This  lake  is  formed  by  a  dam  across  Temescal 
Creek.  It  has  had  an  approximate  capacity  of  one 
hundred  and  ninety  million  gallons,  but  during  the 
fall  of  1890  the  dam  was  raised,  and  the  capacitj^ 
about  doubled.  This  was  the  first  important  source 
of  supply.  It  has  an  elevation  of  about  four  hundred 
and  thirty  feet  above  the  Oakland  base  line.  Being 
considerably  higher  than  the  other  sources,  the  water 
from  this  lake  is  principally  used  for  tli*'  most  elevated 
parts  of  the  city  and  suburbs.  Sausal  Creek,  east  of 
the  city,  is  made  to  furnish  the  water  for  Highland 
Park  and  vicinity.  The  main  source  of  supply,  how- 
ever, is  Lake  Chabot,  located  in  the  hills  about  eight 
miles  east  of  the  city.  This  lake  is  about  four  miles 
in  length,  and  the  surface  level  has  an  elevation  of 
about  two  hundred  and  thirty  feet  above  the  city.  It 
carries,  at  the  present  rate  of  consumption,  several 
years  of  supply.  According  to  the  official  statement 
of  the  company,  they  have  expended  about  ^4,250,000 
in  establishing  this  system  of  water  supply.  In  1889 
the  company  greatly  improved  the  quality  of  the 
water  by  constructing  a  complete  and  extensive  system 
ofstorage,  settling  and  distributing  reservoirs.  About 
two  hundred  miles  of  water  pipe  have  been  laid  by 
the  company.  It  is  e.stimated  b)-  competent  engineers 
that  the  water  supply  for  Oakland  is  sufficient  for  a 
population  of  fully  one  million  people,  and  when  our 
city  contains  as  many  inhabitants  as  that,  there  are 
other  sources  yet  untouched,  adequate  for  the  in- 
creased demand. 

The  great  extent  of  lawns  and  gardens  in  and  about 
the  city,  which  are  kept  so  bright  and  attractive  by 
irrigation  during  the  summer  months,  makes  Oakland 
the  largest  consumer  of  water,  according  to  popula- 
tion, of  an}'  modern  city.  The  average  consumption 
of  Oakland  per  capita  per  day  is  two  hundred  and 
thirty-five  gallons.  Washington,  D.  C,  is  the  next 
largest  consumer,  using  one  hundred  and  seventy 
gallons,  while  London  uses  only  thirty-three  gallons 
per  capita,  and  San  Francisco,  seventy  gallons. 


AN  INEXHAUSTIBLE  WATER  SUPPLY. 
The  city  of  Oakland  and  its  suburbs  are  supplied 
with    water  from   three   sources,  the  first  of  which  is 


CHABOT  HOME. 

Among  the  institutions  of  Oakland  is  the  Chabot 
Woman's  Home,  endowed  by  the  late  Anthony  Chabot. 
It  is  situated  at  No.  66  Sixth  Street.  It  is  not  an 
eleemosynary  institution,  but  is  a  place  where  work- 
ing women  who  have  no  homes  can  have  home  com- 
forts and  a  pleasant  room,  with  library  and  other  like 
privileges,  for  a  moderate  sum.  The  home  is  gov- 
erned by  a  Board  of  corporate  trustees  and  is  in  charge 
of  a  matron. 


50 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


AMUSEMENTS. 

For  many  years  Oakland  has  been  without  a  proper 
theater,  and  first-class  companies  seldom  came  to  the 
city  on  account  of  the  poor  accommodations.  There 
were  several  halls  and  the  Colosseum,  but  until  the 
erection  of  the  Macdonough  Theater,  in  1891-92,  none 
were  adequate  for  a  first-class  play.  The  latter  build- 
ing is  equal  to  any  on  the  coast  and  surpasses  most  of 
them.     It  is  complete  in  all  its  appointments. 


OAKLAND  TOWNSHIP,  OUTSIDE. 

Town  of  Berkeley — Villages  of  Temescal,  Golden  Gate,  Lorin, 
Emeryville,  Claremont',  Stock  Yards,  etc. 

In  the  northern  part  of  Oakland  Township,  outside 
of  the  boundaries  of  the  citj^  of  Oakland,  extending 
along  the  bay  shore  to  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
county,  is  a  level  tract  of  about  fifteen  square  miles  in 
extent,  which  is  being  rapidly  settled  up  with  comforta- 
ble homes  and  suburban  villages.  Tiiese  will  in  all 
probability,  within  the  ne.xt  quarter  of  a  century,  or 
less,  be  included  within  the  citv  limits  of  Oakland. 


BERKELEY. 

In  the  territory  above  mentioned,  extending  to  the 
Contra  Costa  line  on  the  east  and  to  the  bay  on  the 
west,  having  an  area  of  nearly  nine  miles  square,  is  the 
town  of  Berkeley,  known  as  the  University  town,  as 
within  its  borders  is  the  University  of  the  State  of 
California.  The  foundation  of  the  town  was  laid  in 
the  little  village  which  sprang  up  immediately  after  the 
selection  of  the  site  of  the  State  Universit}',  in  1868, 
but  it  was  not  until  1878  that  the  town  was  incorpo- 
rated. The  growth  of  the  University  has  been-  the 
growth  of  the  town,  so  that  from  a  few  families  in  1868 
it  now  has  a  population  of  about  nine  thousand,  and 
its  government  is  under  a  special  charter  from  the 
Legislature.  During  the  past  two  or  three  years  many 
of  the  principal  streets  of  the  town  have  been  macada- 
mized their  entire  length,  and  the  work  of  improving 
others  is  progressing  rapidly.  The  lines  of  the  town 
were  extended  toward  the  south  and  east  in  1892,  so 
that  comparatively  a  small  territory  lies  between  it  and 
Oakland.  Its  location  for  beautiful  homes  cannot  be 
excelled,  and  from  rising  ground,  within  the  town 
boundaries,  are  to  be  had  splendid  views  of  the  Bay  of 
San  Francisco,  the  islands,  and  the  Golden  Gate. 

While  the  seat  of  the  higher  education — the  State 
University — Berkeley  has  also  an  excellent  public 
school  system,  and  has  beside  a  number  of  the  best 
preparatory  schools  for  both  sexes,  including  the  High 
School,  the  Berkeley  gymnasium  for  boys,  Peralta  Hall, 


and  Miss  Head's  school  for  girls.  The  public  schools 
were  organized  in  1878,  with  Rev.  Martin  Kellogg,  for 
twenty-five  \'ears  a  professor  at  the  State  University, 
and  now  its  honored  president,  as  one  of  the  leading 
members  of  the  Board  of  Education.  "  From  the  small 
enrollment  of  three  hundred  and  forty  in  1879  it  has 
grown  to  upward  of  one  thousand  seven  hundred  in 
1893.  The  school  census  shows  a  growth  from  five 
hundred  and  fifteen  in  1879  to  nearly  two  thousand 
three  hundred  in  1893. 

The  town  of  Berkeley  has  all  the  ad\'antage  of  na- 
ture to  make  it,  in  a  sanitary  regard,  a  town  ranking 
with  the  best.  Its  hill  slopes  secure  thorough  drainage 
into  deep  water  of  the  ba)'.  Its  hills  seem  to  be  nat- 
ural reservoirs  filled  with  pure  water  from  the  distant 
Sierra  Nevada,  and  it  is  necessary  only  to  drive  a 
tunnel  to  secuie  an  abundant  supply.  The  Alameda 
Water  Company  has  two  tunnels  and  reservoirs,  one 
behind  the  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  and  the 
.  Blind,  with  a  capacity  of  two  million  five  hundred  thou- 
sand gallons,  and  the  other  above  the  Berryman  prop- 
erty, with  a  capacity  of  twenty-three  million.  The 
town  is  lighted  with  gas  supplied  fiom  Oakland,  and 
an  electric  light  company  belonging  to  the  tow  n.  It 
lias  electric  arc  lights  distributed  all  over  its  corpo- 
rate limits.  The  site  of  East  Berkeley  is  commanding 
and  healthful.  It  is  directly  opposite  the  Golden  Gate, 
and  as  the  elevation  of  the  University  is  about  three 
hundred  feet  above  the  waters  of  the  bay,  a  magnifi- 
cent panoramic  view  is  obtained  from  every  place 
where  vision  is  not  shut  off  by  trees.  By  da}'  the  in- 
habitants look  down  upon  the  beautiful  bay  and  its  is- 
lands and  its  kaleidoscope  of  moving  ships.  As  the 
day  ends,  they  can  enjoy  seeing  the  sun  set  through 
the  Golden  Gate,  for  the  fine  sunsets  are  one  of  the 
scenic  attractions  of  the  place.  In  the  evening  the 
view  of  the  bay  is  hardly  less  charming  than  by  da)-, 
for  the  lights  on  the  ships,  the  railroad  piers,  the  is- 
lands, and  in  San  Francisco  streets  make  an  illumina- 
tion as  pretty  as  could  be  imagined.  It  is  slightly 
colder  in  winter  and  warmer  in  summer  in  Berkeley 
than  it  is  in  Oakland,  but  the  climate  is  a  pleasant 
one  nevertheless,  and  the  air  is  noticeably  pure  and 
the  public  health  good.  For  good  sewerage  no  better 
site  for  a  city  could  be  found  in  the  world.  The 
improvement  in  its  sewerage  system  is  progressing 
with  its  street  improvement. 

Owing  to  the  excellent  railroad  facilities  now  en- 
joyed, many  business  and  professional  men  of  San 
Francisco  and  Oakland  are  taking  up  their  residence 
in  Berkeley  and  the  suburbs  between  it  and  Oakland,  ■ 
erecting  handsome  homes  with  extensive  grounds. 
Beside  the  half-hourly  trains  of  the  Southern  Pacific 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  aLaMEDA  COUNTY. 


51 


Company  running  to  East,  West,  and  North  Berkelev, 
there  are  now  three  electric  h'nes  running-  fro;n  Oak- 
land, running  cars  every  ten  minutes.  The  open 
country  along  these  lines  is  rapidly  filling  up.  There 
is  a  horse-car  line  running  between  East  and  West 
Berkeley,  and  another  one  running  to  Peralta  Park,  in 
the  northern  limits. 

There  are  in  Berkeley  strong  congregations  of  the 
various  religious  denominations,  with  able  pastors. 
During  the  past  year  there  has  been  completed,  just 
outside  and  at  the  entrance  to  the  State  University 
grounds,  a  handsome  brick  and  stone  structure  known 
as  Stiles  Hall,  for  the  use  of  the  University  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association. 

The  State  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  and 
the  Blind,  mentioned  elsewhere  in  a  .special  article,  is 
within  the  corporate  boundaries  of  Berkeley. 

The  transcontinental  and  State  railroad  lines  for  the 
central,  southern,  and  northern  routes  pass  through 
West  Berkeley  along  the  bay  shore.  It  is  becoming 
quite  a  thriving  manufacturing  town,  and'its  residents 
show  a  commendable  activity  in  taking  advantage  of 
the  favoring  situation  for  trade  and  commerce  in  which 
they  find  themselves. 

The  population  of  Berkeley  is  between  eight  and 
nine  thousand.  The  assessed  valuation  is  ,$6,000,000, 
and  the  town  tax  is  seventy  cents  on  the  ^100  valua- 
tion. The  expenses  of  running  the  town  government 
are  about  $60,000  annually.  The  sum  of  ^i  10,000  has 
recently  been  expended  for  an  electric  plant  for  light- 
ing the  streets  of  the  town.  The  school  facilities  being 
at  present  inadequate,  the  question  of  voting  bonds  for 
the  erection  of  more  schoolhouses  is  being  agitated 
by  the  citizens. 


CLAREMONT. 


.Vdjoining  Berkeley  on  the  east  is  the  beautiful  litth 
villa  of  Claremont. 


TEMESCAL. 

Just  outside  of  the  city  hmits  of  Oakland,  between 
It  and  Berkeley,  and  properly  a  continuation  of  Oak- 
land, the  streets  being  extended  through  it,  is  the 
unincorporated  suburb  of  Temescal,  containing  a  pop- 
ulation of  between  two  and  three  thousand.  Through 
this  suburb  run  the  three  electric  roads  to  Berkeley. 
Its  prominent  citizens  are.  agitating  the  question  of 
annexation  to  Oakland,  and  it  must  be  only  a  short 
tmie  until  it  is  included  in  the  corporate  boundaries  of 
Oakland.  It  was  an  early  Spanish-American  settle- 
ment. 


7 


GOLDEN  GATE  AND    LORIN. 

On  the  line  of  the  East  Berkeley  branch  road  of  the 
Southern  Pacific  and  between  Oakland  and  Berkeley 
are  these  two  suburban  villages,  about  one  mile  dis- 
tant from  each  other.  Both  are  growing  rapidly.  The 
former  is  at  the  end  of  a  cable  road  with  a  half-mile 
horse-car  extension,  and  one  of  the  electric  car  lines 
to  Berkeley  runs  through  the  latter.  Efforts  have  been 
heretofore  made  to  consolidate  these  villages  with 
Temescal  under  a  town  incorporation.  Other  efforts 
are  being  made  to  include  them  within  the  Oakland 
city  limits. 


EMERYVILLE. 
Outside  the  Oakland  city  limits,  on  the  shore  of  the 
bay,  is  the  suburb  of  E  neryville.  Here  the  Judson 
Works  are  situated,  and  the  warehouses  and  work- 
shops of  the  Michigan  Furniture  Factory.  Shell- 
mound  Park,  a  summer  picnic  ground,  and  the  Oak- 
land Trotting  Park  are  a'so  adjoining  this  suburb. 
The  transcontinental,  State,  and  Berkeley  local  trains 
pass  through.  The  West  Berkeley  train  branches  off 
at  Shell  Mound  Station.  This  is  also  the  terminus  of 
the  California  and  Nevada  narrow  gauge,  and  it  is  said 
will  be  the  Alameda  County  end  of  a  new  ferry  to  San 
Francisco,  if  this  road  should  be  the  terminus  of  a 
competing  transcontinental  line.  The  ferry  company 
has  already  been  incorporated. 


THE  STOCK  YARDS. 
In  Oakland  Township,  between  Oakland  and  West 
Berkeley,  on  the  line  of  the  overland  Central  Pacific 
Railway,  are  situated  the  Stock  Yards,  where  thousands 
of  cattle  and  sheep  are  slaughtered  for  the  markets  of 
Oakland  and  surrounding  towns  and  cities,  and  for 
San  Francisco  as  well.  There  are  about  a  dozen  firms 
doing  a  slaughtering  business  here,  and  the  annual  out- 
put is  quite  large.  There  are  annually  slaughtered 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  th  lusand  sheep,  twenty- 
three  thousand  hogs,  thirty  thousand  beeves,  and  two 
thou.sand  five  hundred  calves.  The  annual  output  of 
the  yards  is  about  ^1,500,000.  They  are  situated 
upon  the  ba)',  and  the  refuse  is  cast  into  it  and  floated 
off  with  the  tide. 

There  are  beside  the  slaughter  houses,  establish- 
ments for  tanning  the  hides,  for  burning  the  bones,  for 
preparing  tongues',  brains,  and  tripe  for  market,  for  re- 
ducing the  offlil  to  tallhw  and  glue,  so  that  the  entire 
output  is  between  $1,750,000  and  $2,000,000. 


FABIOLA  HOSPITAL. 
On   Moss    Avenue,   between    New    Broadway    and 
Webster  Avenue,  is  situated  the  Fabiola  Hospital.     It 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


52 

was  opened  about  three  years  ago  as  a  homeopathic 
institution,  and  is  to  a  certain  extent  under  the  con- 
trol of  physicians  of  that  school,  but  patients  who 
desire  it  may  be  treated  by  practitioners  of  any  of  the 
other  schools.  The  institution  is  not  eleemosynary, 
but  the  fees  charged  for  attendance  and  rooms  are 
moderate,  and  little  more  than  actual  cost,  on  account 
of  endowments  made  for  that  purpose. 


HOME  FOR  THE  ADULT  BLIND. 
Just  outside  the  city  limits  of  Oakland  is  situated 
the  Industrial  Home  for  Adult  Blind.  It  occupies  a 
block  of  ground  on  Telegraph  Avenue.  It  is  partly  sup- 
ported by  State  aid  and  partly  by  the  work  turned  out 
by  the  occupants— principally  brooms  and  brushes. 
It  is  under  the  control  of  directors  appointed  b)-  the 
Governor  of  the  State. 


along  the  San  Leandro  road,  and  quite  a  little  town  is 
^rowing  up  around  the  power  house  of  this  road. 

At  Melrose  is  the  first  smelting  works  for  rebellious 
ores  and  there  is  now  in  operation  a  smaller  smelting 
works  for  extracting  quicksilver.  There  are  also  in 
operation  at  the  suburb  three  factories  for  the  manu- 
facture of  fuse  for  use  in  mining  and  rock  quarrying. 
A  cordage  works  for  the  manufacture  of  rope  is  at  the 
present  time  idle. 

In  the  hills  in  this  township,  overlooking  Oakland, 
are  the  residence  and  grounds  of  the  "Poet  of  the  Sier- 
ras," Joaquin  Miller. 


OLD  LADIES'  HOME. 
On  Linden  Lane,  between  Broadway  and  Telegraph 
Avenue,  Temescal,  is  the  Home  for  Old  Ladies, 
founded  by  the  Oakland  Ladies'  Relief  Society.  It 
receives  some  State  aid  and  has  an  income  from  cer- 
tain endowments  made  by  will  by  different  persons. 
A  certain  sura  is  required  from  the  friends  of  inmates 
annually  during  life.  The  institution  is  well  con- 
ducted. There  is  also  a  department  for  the  care  of 
orphan  children. 

BROOKLYN  TOWNSHIP,  OUTSIDE. 
On  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  city  of  Oakland  lies 
a  considerable  strip  of  territory  in  Brooklyn  Township, 
about  one-third  of  the  township  being  in  the  city 
limits  and  the  remainder  outside.  Ver^-  much  of  this 
outside  district  is  covered  with  suburban  homes  clear 
to  the  Eden  Township  line  on  the  east  and  south  and 
Alameda  on  the  west. 

The  line  between  Oakland  and  Fruitvale  is  similar 
to  that  between  Oakland  and  Temescal  on  the  north- 
east. There  are  houses  standing  on  the  line  between 
the  city  and  county.  It  is  said  the  number  on  one 
house  is  in  the  county  while  the  greater  part  of  the 
building  is  in  the  city.  Some  of  the  handsomest 
houses  and  grounds  in  Alameda  County  are  in  the 
suburb  of  Fruitvale,  and  Fruitvale  Avenue,  with  its 
rows  of  shade  trees  on  either  side  and  fruit  orchards 
and  flower  gardens,  is  considered  a  very  handsome 
summer  drive. 

Beyond  Fruitvale  are  Melrose,  Mills  College,  Elm- 
.   hurst  and  other  growing  suburbs.     Since  the  opening  of 
the  electric  street  railroad  to  San  Leandro    and   Hay- 
ward  in  1892,  numerous  residences  have  been  erected 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ALAMEDA  CITY  AND  TOWNSHIP. 

A  City  of  Elegant  Homes,  Handsome  Drives  and  Healthful 
Climate-One  of  the  Best  Sanitary  Systems  in  the  World- 
Sewers  Automatically  Flushed  Every  Four  Hours— One  of 
the  Healthiest   Cities  in  the  United  States. 

Across  the  tstuary  of  San  Antonio  from  Oakland, 
on  what  is  at  present  a  peninsula  lying  between  the 
estuary  and  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  lies  the  city  and 
township  of  Alameda  The  setdement  of  the  penin- 
sula of  Alameda  dates  back  to  about  the  saine  time 
as  that  of  Oakland,  but  its  growth  has  been  much 
slower  until  within  the  past  five  years.  It  now  claims 
a  population  of  between  thirteen  thousand  and  fourteen 
thousand,  and  is  rapidly  increasing.  It  has  the  same 
railroad  advantages  as  Oakland,  i.  c,  fifteen-minute 
trips  with  interchangeable  tickets  bj-  broad  or  narrow- 
gauge  ferry  to  San  Francisco.  Both  roads  run  through 
the  entire  length  of  the  city,  about  half  a  mile  apart, 
with  several  stations  on  each.  No  fares  are  collected 
within  the  city  limits  or  between  stations,  the  railroad 
company  treating  tiie  residents  of  Alameda  the  same 
as  those  of  Oakland.  The  fare  to  San  Francisco  by 
way  of  either  the  broad  or  narrow-gauge  ferry  routes 
is  twenty-five  cents  return  trip,  and  commutations  $3  00 
per  month,  using  either  or  both  routes,  interchange- 
ably, if  desired. 

The  governinent  of  the  city  is  intrusted  to  a  Board 
of  City  Trustees.  There  is  no  Mayor  or  Common 
Council,  or  Board  of  Public  Works,  but  the  other 
officers  are  similar  to  those  of  towns  of  the  fifth  class. 
There  is  a  Board  of  Education,  Board  of  Health  and 
sanitary  officers,  and  Board  of  Library  Trustees.  The 
duties  of  Police  Magistrate  are  performed  by  the  City 
Recorder,  and  the  City  Marshal  acts  as  Chief  of  Police 
and  has  ten  officers  under  him. 

The  public  schools  of  Alameda  are  equal  to  those 
of  any  other  city  in  the  State.  They  are  under  the 
supervision  of  the    City    Superintendent   of  Schools. 


in 

LlJ 
Q- 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


53 


There  is  an  efficient  Fire  Department,  under  proper 
officers. 

The  city  owns  its  electric  hght  plant,  and  has  lights 
on  poles  or  towers  in  every  part  of  the  city,  being  one 
of  the  best-lighted  cities  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

Its  sewer  system  is  claimed  to  be  the  best  of  any 
city  in  the  United  States,  and  has  automatic  sewer 
flushers,  by  which  every  sewer  is  flushed  every  four 
hours,  and  the  sewage  carried  away.  The  system  is 
a  new  one,  and  is  being  urged  now  in  other  cities. 
East  and  West.  The  sewer  system  consists,  in  the 
first  place,  of  two  intercepting  sewers,  one  on  each 
side  of  the  peninsula.  It  must  be  understood,  by 
those  not  familiar  with  the  lay  of  the  land,  that  Ala- 
meda is  a  long  peninsula,  entirely  devoid  of  hills,  the 
highest  altitude  being  along  its  center,  and  the  land 
sloping  gently  each  way.  On  the  south  side  is  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco,  and  on  the  north  side  Oakland 
Harbor  and  the  tidal  canal.  The  natural  way  to 
sewer  the  city  is  from  the  center  to  the  edges  ;  but  it 
was  found  it  would  never  do  to  dischsirge  sewage  from 
every  street  upon  the  sand  beaches  and  shores  of  the 
cit)^  Returning  tides  would  fetch  it  back,  and  the 
odors  would  always  remain.  So  the  scheme  of  in- 
tercepting sewers  along  the  edges  of  the  town  was 
devised.  They  receive  the  sewage  from  the  many 
lateral  sewers,  and  discharge  it  all  together  in  such  a 
manner  that  it  is  carried  out  on  every  tide  and  assim- 
ilated by  the  great  body  of  salt  water.  The  pipe  of 
the  lateral  sewers  is  of  iron  stone,  and  the  diameter  is 
four,  si.x,  and  eight  inches.  The  pipe  has  a  bell  at  one 
end,  so  that  the  plain  end  of  its  predecessor  fits  in. 
The  joint  is  then  caulked  and  cemented,  the  cement 
being  applied  with  the  fingers,  so  that  a  water-tight 
joint  is  made.  The  lateral  sewers  are  all  flushed 
several  times  a  day  automatically.  At  the  highest 
point  of  these  sewers  flush  tanks,  built  upon  the  line  of 
the  sidewalks,  connect  with  them.  These  flush  tanks 
are  filled  from  the  water  mains,  and  when  they  get 
full,  their  center  of  gravity  is  so  shifted  that  they  tip, 
spilling  the  water  in  a  volume,  and  then  righting 
themselves  for  another  filling.  Being  thus  so  admi- 
rably drained,  having  no  such  thing  as  sewer  gi  s,  and 
having  no  stagnant  ponds  or  marshes  to  germinate 
disease,  it  is  not  the  least  wonder  that  Alameda  is 
healthful,  that  its  death  rate  is  lower  than  that  of  any 
other  town  or  city  on  the  coast,  and  that  it  should 
enjoy  a  fame  reaching  across  the  continent,  and  which 
is  still  spreading. 

ARTESIAN  WATER  SUPPLY. 
The    city  is  supplied- with    artesian    water  from   a 
series  of  wells  at  Fitghburg,  two  miles  to  the  east  of 


town,  and  another  series  on  High  Street,  in  the  easterly 
portion  of  the  city.     The  water  is  raised  and  distribu- 
ted by  the  Holly  system.     It  has  so  far  been  ample 
for  all  the  city's  needs,  and  is  always  absolutely  pure. 
Alameda's    entire    freedom    from    epidemics,    and    its 
reasonable  immunity  from  even  sporadic  cases  of  m- 
fectious  diseases,  constitute  abundant  testimony  as  to 
the  purity  of  its  water    supply.     The   fact    that  the 
source  can  never  be  contaminated,  and  that  the  quan- 
tity for  a  year  is  never  contingent  upon  the  amount  of 
rainfall  or  any   other  condition  that   may   produce  a 
shortage,  are  great  factors  in  favor  of    the  city  and 
inducements  to  those  seeking  homes.     Many  of  the 
inhabitants  have  their  own  artesian  wells,  preferring 
to  be  independent,  and  also,  if  they  are  extensive  con- 
sumers, saving  money  by  it.     There  seems  to  be  an 
abundance  of  subterranean  water,  and  any  who  desire 
to  tap  it  may  set  up  their  own  water  works.     The 
streets  of  Alameda,  in  summer  time,  are  daily  sprinkled 
with  fresh  water.     They  are  kept   in    excellent  con- 
dition ;   but  an   experiment  was  made  last  year,    on 
certain  stretches  of  the  roadways,  with  salt  water,  and 
the  result  was  eminently  satisfactory.     Less  water  laid 
the  dust  more  effectually,  effecting  a  great  saving  in 
expense  for  the  water  and  the  distribution  of  it,  be- 
sides keeping  down  the  dust  much  better.     A  system 
of  pipes  to   supply    salt    water,  not    only    for    street 
sprinkling,  but  for  the  extinguishment  of  fires  and  the 
flushing  of  sewers,  is  now  talked  of,  is  in  eveiy  way 
practicable  and  desirable,  and  will  no  doubt  some  day 
be  put  in. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  the  city  and  township 
for  the  purposes  of  taxation,  real  and  personal  prop- 
erty, is  $i  1,796,565.  The  total  tax  rate  for  1892-93 
was  $1.95,  of  which  80  cents  was  for  State  and  county 
purposes. 

Aside  from  the  two  steam  railroads  running  every 
half  hour  between  Alameda  and  Oakland,  there  has 
been  a  horse-car  line  running  for  years  making  the 
trip  between  Broadway  and  Seventh  Streets,  Oak- 
land, and  Santa  Clara  and  Park  Streets,  Alameda, 
makingthe  trip  in  about  half  an  hour.  This  line  has 
been  transformed  into  an  electric  line  and  runs  a 
branch  line,  also  transformed  from  horses,  from  the 
narrow-gauge  depot  on  Park  Street  across  to  Twelfth 
Street  and  Twenty-third  Avenue,  Oakland,  connecting 
with  the  Oakland  local  trains  at  that  point. 

Alameda  is  a  city  of  beautiful  homes  and  finely  ma- 
cadamized streets  and  handsome  drives.  Many  busi- 
ness men  of  San  Francisco  make  their  home  in  this 
city,  being  within  an  hour's  ride  by  train  and  ferry- 
boat. - 

At  Alameda  Point  on  the  estuary  the  ship-building 


54 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


industry  is  being  developed  There  are  a  number  of 
shipyards,  where  a  large  number  of  boats  are  made 
each  year,  ranging  from  the  sporting  shell  boats  to 
barkentines  of  one  thousand  tons.  One  firm  uses 
twenty  thousand  to  twenty-two  thousand  feet  of  lum- 
ber annually  in  buildingsmall  boats,  principally  whale- 
boats, and  repairs  from  fifty  to  sixty  whalebpats.  One 
firm  makes  a  specialty  of  shell  boats  for  racing. 

At  the  west  end  of  Alameda,  on  the  bay  shore,  are 
situated  the  borax  refining  works,  the  extensive  pe- 
troleum oil  refining  works  and  the  pottery  works  of 
Clark  &  Sons,  mentioned  elsewhere  in  detail.  There 
are  also  a  number  of  planing  and  other  mills  and 
manufactories  in  this  city. 

The  roundhouses  of  the  South  Pacific  Coa.st  Rail- 
way (narrow  gauge)  are  at  Alameda  Point.  * 


CHAPTER  IX. 

EDEN   TOWNSHIP. 

A  Very  Fertile  Alluvial  Tract  of  Land  that  was  a  Cattle  Pasture 
four  Decades  Ago,  Now  the  Garden  of  the  County— More 
Cherries  Sent  to  Eastern  Markets  than  from  Remainder  of 
California— Other  Fruits  and  Vegetables  in  Large  Quan- 
tities. 

Adjoining  Brooklyn  on  the  south  is  Eden  Township. 
In  the  earlier  history  of  the  county  its  territory  was 
principally  used  for  pasturage  for  cattle.  The  chief 
products  were  cereals,  but  during  the  past  ten  years 
the  greater  portion  has  been  transferred  to  horticul- 
ture and  vegetables.  From  Eden  Townshipare  shipped 
to  the  Eastern  States  more  cherries  than  from  the  re- 
mainder of  the  State.  Here  also  are  raised  large 
quantities  of  vegetables  for  the  local  markets.  The 
mission  fathers  in  the  earlier  days  chose  the  land  far- 
ther to  the  south,  near  the  Alameda  Creek,  for  the 
establishment  of  their  missions.  The  first  settlement 
of  English  speaking  people  was  made  by  the  Furgu- 
sons,  a  Scotch  family,  who  secured  from  the  Spanish 
grantees  a  square  mile  of  fertile  land  upon  the  alluvial 
plain.  George  Fleming,  the  late  Judge  Crane,  John 
Martin,  and  Cornelius  Mohr  speedily  followed,  and 
in  1851  Richard  Barron  built  Eden  landing.  Matthew 
H  Allen  built  a  second  landing  on  Calf  Creek  and  in  a 
few  months  more  Joel  Russell  and  twenty  associates 
built  a  third  on  the  same  waterway.  In  1853  the 
united  efforts  of  the  settlers  built  what  was  known  as 
the  "squatter  fence,"  which,  e.xtending  from  Mount 
Eden  across  the  plaih  and  well  up  the  slope  of  the 
foothills,  was  designed  to  protect  the  farms  from  the 
incursions  of  mobs  of  cattle  roaming  half  wild  through 
the  country.  In  1858  .San  Leandro,  in  this  township, 
was  made  the  county  seat  of  the  county,  and  so  re- 


mained till  1873.  The  territory  now  embraced  in  the 
township  boundaries  formed  part  of  the  ranchos  of 
the  Sotos,  Peraltas,  Vallejos,  Castros,  and  Estudillos. 

When  compared  witli  other  parts  of  the  State,  and 
with  other  townships  of  the  county,  the  subdivision 
has  been  minute  and  the  number  of  small  holdings 
large.  Many  Portuguese,  from  Portugal  and  the 
Western  islands,  have  taken  advantage  of  this  policy  on 
the  part  of  the  holders  of  large  blocks  of  land,  and 
have  small  farms  closely  cultivated  all  over  the  plain 
and  in  the  rich  valleys  that  run  up  into  the  hills. 

In  1842  that  portion  of  the  township  now  covered 
by  the  city  of  San  Leandro,  recently  incorporated  as  a 
city  of  the  fifth  class,  was  granted  by  the    Mexican 
Governor  to  Don  Jose  E.studillo,  whose  mansion  house 
erected  in  1850  is  still  standing.     Most   of  his  lands 
came  into  the  possession    of  Theodore  Le    Roy  upon 
the  death  of  the  original  grantee  and  were  cut  up  and 
sold.     So  rapid  from  1850  was  the  growth    of  settle- 
ment on  these  lands  that  within  five  years  San    Lean- 
dro  had    become   the    most    important  town    in    the 
county.     The  Legislature   oh  the  13th  of  May,  1S72, 
granted  the  petition  of  the  citizens  and  incorporateil 
the  town,  establishing  its  width  at  one  niiile  toward  the 
south,    measured    from  San    Leandro    Creek,  and  its 
depth  at  two  miles  toward  the  west,  from  the  foot    of 
the  hills.     The  center  of  the  town  is  eight  and    one- 
fourth  miles  southerly  from   the    Oakland  Cit)-    Hall. 
San  Leandro  has  always  presented  many    attractions 
as  a  place  of  suburban   residence,  being  less   than    an 
hour  by  rail  from  San    Francisco,    witii    eight    trains 
each  way  every  day.     Fourteen  miles  of  streets    have 
been  graded  and  macadamized  and    many    fine    resi- 
dences have  been  erected.     The   population   is    esti- 
matedattwenty-fivehundred.     There  hadbeen  forthree 
years  prior  to  1886  no  town  tax,  the  expen.ses  having 
been  met  by  the  amount  received    from  licenses   paid 
by  various  trades  upon    a  sliding   scale.     In    1886   a 
levy  of  twenty  cents  on  the  $100  was  made  for   the" 
benefit  of  the  road  fund.     A  volunteer  fire  department 
of  forty  members    is  an    active    organization.     There 
are  two  hose   carts    and  one   thousand    five  hundred 
feet  of  hose.     The  water  supply  is  drawn  from   Lake 
Chabot.     The  hydrants  are  within  two  blocks  of  each 
other  and  the  pressure  is  sufficient  to  throw  an    inch 
stream  one  hundred  and  forty-seven  and  one-half  feet 
without  an  engine.     The  public  school    of  the   town 
contains  eight  rooms  and  accommodates  over  five  hun- 
dred children,  who    are   in    daily   attendance.     Saint 
Mary's  Convent  has  a  school  in  which   two  hundred 
pupils  are  carefully  taught.     There  are  three  churches, 
the  Methodist,  Roman  Catholic,  and  Presbyterian,  and 
mission  work  among  the  Portuguese  is  conducted  by  a 


PLATE   26 


CONCANNON  VINEYARD"     and  RES   OF  J  AMES  CONCAN  NON ,    LIVERMQRE     CAL. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


55 


priest  of  that  nationality    and    a    Presbyterian    mis- 
sionar}'. 

The  Oalvland,  San  Leandro  and  Hayward  Electric 
Railway  runs  half-hourly  trains  from  Oakland  through 
San  Leandro  and  San  Lorenzo  to  Hayward,  all  in  this 
township.  The  latter  town  is  about  five  miles  farther 
out  from  Oakland.  San  Lorenzo,  a  small  village,  lies 
between  San  Leandro  and  Hayward.  In  and  around 
San  Lorenzo  is  the  belt  in  which  large  quantities  of 
cherries  are  grown,  as  well  as  other  fine  fruits,  such  as 
apricots,  pears  and  peaches.  As  early  as  1854  an  at- 
tempt was  made  to  create  a  township  at  this  place, 
mainly  with  a  view  of  securing  the  county  seat  on  the 
'  score  of  its  central  location.  A  map  of  the  town  of 
San  Lorenzo,  which  name  covered  the  whole  district 
embraced  by  Hayward  and  the  present  San  Lorenzo, 
was  placed  on  record  in  that  year,  but  the  project  was 
heartily  opposed  by  Castro,  who  owned  almost  all  the 
land  thereabouts.  In  1856,  however,  Castro  read- 
justed the  map  already  on  file  and  sold  the  town  lots 
at  good  prices,  the  new  town  taking  the  name  of  Wil- 
liam Hayward,  who  in  1852  had  settled  upon  the 
Castro  grant.  Hayward  now  numbers  some  two 
thousand  inhabitants.  It  has  two  large  hotels,  churches 
of  the  Roman  Catholic,  Methodist,  and  Congrega- 
tional denominations.  Union  High  School  No.  3  is 
located  at  Hayward.  It  is  also  in  the  center  of  a  large 
fruit  and  farming  district,  and  in  the  hands  of  its  mer- 
chants is  concentrated  a  large  part  of  the  trade  of  the 
valley. 

Within  the  limits  of  Eden  Township  grow  all  kinds 
of  vegetables,  fruits,  berries,  and  cereals  of  every  va- 
riety. It  is  peculiarly  the  home  of  the  cherry  and 
apricot.  Both  can  be  produced  with  great  profit — 
sometimes  with  a  profit  of  ^500  to  $600  per  acre,  and 
in  one  or  two  instances  has  reached  $  i  ,000  per  acre, 
but  that  was  when  the  prices  were  very  high  and  the 
crop  large,  and  before  there  was  so  much  land  set  to 
this  kind  of  fruit.  A  fair  average  to-day,  however, 
would  be  ;^250  per  acre,  while  .several  kinds  of  vege- 
tables, when  raised  for.  the  market,  will  give  a  still 
higher  average.  For  productiveness  the  soil  in  this 
township  ranks  with  the  veiy  best  in  the  State.  The 
citrus  fruits,  as  well  as  the  others,  make  a  thrifty 
growth  there.  There  are  no  orchards  of  those  fruits, 
but  in  many  of  the  gardens  and  in  the  lawns  and 
grounds  around  the  residences  are  beautiful  full-grown 
orange  and  lemon  trees  that  make  the  finest  of  orna- 
mental trees,  and  at  the  same  time  bear  the  finest  of 
fruit.  A  specimen  of  the  Mediterranean  sweet  variety 
of  oranges  grown  on  a  seven-year- old  tree  in  an  or- 
chard of  San  Leandro,  where  it  stands  among  its  fellow 
fruit  trees  of  the  cherry,  apricot,  etc.,  varieties,  as  vig- 


orous and  thrifty  as  any  of  them,  is  now  lying  on  the 
table  of  the  writer.  The  fruit  from  this  tree  is  large 
and  has  a  delicious  flavor. 

In  the  yard  of  a  residence  in  San  Leandro  stands  a 
magnificent  banana  tree.  The  banana  is  one  of  the 
most  sensitive  of  the  tropical  trees^  and  its  long,  ele- 
gant leaves  sometimes  get  nipped  with  the  cold,  but, 
notwithstanding  this,  it  seems  to  be  making  its  way  to 
a  healthy  maturity. 

Almond  trees  are  so  common  in  Eden  Township 
that  they  are  grown  along  the  sidewalks  as  shade  trees 
in  San  Leandro,  Hayward  and  San  Lorenzo. 

At  San  Lorenzo  is  the  Meek  estate  orchard  of  seven 
hundred  acres  of  trees.  This  may  seem  incredible, 
but  nevertheless  it  is  true.  There  are  in  one  body 
seven  hundred  acres  of  fruit  trees,  and  not  only  that, 
but  among  these  trees  are  five  hundred  acres  of  small 
fruits,  such  as  currants,  gooseberries,  raspberries,  etc., 
making  an  immense  orchard  and  a  large  output  of 
fruits  of  all  kinds  annually. 


THE  COUNTY  FARM. 

In  Eden  Township,  between  San  Leandro  and  Hay- 
ward, at  the  base  of  the  foothills,  is  located  the  county 
Farm  and  Hospital  and  Infirmary.  This  institution  is 
in  charge  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  county, 
who  are  overseers  of  the  poor,  as  well  as  the  legisla- 
tive body  of  the  county.  The  immediate  supervision 
is  under  a  resident  superintendent,  who  is  usually  a 
physician.  The  buildings  are  generally  full,  and  some- 
times there  is  not  room  enough  for  applicants.  The 
number  at  the  farm  ranges  from  one  hundred  seventy- 
five  to  three  hundred. 


OYSTER  BEDS. 

For  many  years  after  the  settlement  of  California, 
and,  indeed,  until  very  recently,  fresh  oysters,  es- 
pecially those  in  the  shell,  were  a  rare  luxury,  and, 
prior  to  the  building  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad, 
comparatively  unknown,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  of  very  small  size  and  indifferent  flavor  from  Shoal- 
water  Bay,  Oregon,  since  that  time  until  ten  or  a  dozen 
years  ago  they  were  the  only  shell  bivalves  used  in 
California,  except  during  the  winter  months,  but  the 
advent  of  the  "cold  storage"  cars  made  the  shipments 
easier.  However,  in  a  few  more  years  it  will  be  en- 
tirely unnecessary  for  the  shipment  of  oysters  into 
California  from  the  East,  for  the  reason  that  the  home 
supply  will  be  sufficient  for  the  demand.  For  the 
present  the  only  oyster  beds  of  any  consequence  found 
in  the  State  are  along  the  shoreg  of  the  Bay  of  San 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


Francisco,  in  Alameda  and  San  Mateo  Counties.  In 
the  year  1879  the  Legislature  of  the  State  passed  an 
Act  for  the  encouragement  of  the  industry,  providing 
for  the  taking  up  of  shoal  water  beds  along  the  bay 
shores.  Under  this  Act  Thomas  W.  Mulford,  Socrates 
Huff  and  Andrew  J.  Gooch  entered  about  thirty-five 
thousand  acres  on  the  Alameda  County  shore,  about 
two  miles  west  of  the  town  of  San  Leandro.  These 
beds  are  two  and  a  half  miles  along  the  shore,  by  two 
miles  into  the  bay.  During  the  lowest  tides  a  large 
portion  of  these  beds  is  uncovered.  When  Messrs. 
Mulford,  Huff  and  Gooch  entered  these  beds,  there 
were  nothing  but  small  California  oysters  in  them,  un- 
fit for  use.  They  transplanted  a  few  Eastern  oysters, 
and  allowed  them  to  increase  until  the  winter  of  1891- 
92,  when  they  commenced  to  market  from  the  beds, 
shipping  to  Oakland  and  San  Francisco,  where  they 
get  $12.50  per  thousand  in  the  shell.  Up  to  this 
spring  this  company  has  cleared  about  §[0,0D0. 
They  only  gather  sufficient  to  supply  the  local  de- 
mand. These  oysters  are  equal  in  size  and  flavor  to 
the  Eastern  oyster.  Beside  these  beds,  the  Morgan 
Oyster  Company,  of  San  Francisco,  own  large  beds 
along  the  Alameda  shore  on  the  south,  and  several 
other  gentlemen  own  small  beds  along  the  shore  north 
of  Mulford  and  associates. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MURRAY    TOWNSHIP. 
An  Extensive  Wine    Growing  District— Wine    Equal  to  the 
Best  French  Product — Grapes  of  the  Finest  European  Va- 
rieties Only  Grown — Fruit  and  Nuts — Hundreds  of  Acres  in 
Almonds — Irrigation  Unnecessary. 

Of  Alameda  County  the  eastern  half  is  in  Murray 
Township,  which  has  an  area  of  four  hundred  square 
miles.  About  one-third  of  it  is  mountainous  or  hilly, 
and  two-thirds  arable  land.  About  one-half  of  the 
tillable  area  is  inclined  to  be  adobe  soil,  and  is  welj 
adapted  for  the  production  of  cereals  and  hay.  The 
otherhalf  is  composed  of  allu\'ial  loams,  which  produce 
vegetables  in  abundance  that  find  a  ready  sale  in  the 
markets  of  San  Francisco  and  Oakland,  and  in  clayey 
and  gravelly  loams  adapted  to  various  varieties  of 
fruit  and  all  kinds  of  grapevines. 

In  this  township  are  broad  valleys,  rolling  foothills, 
and  precipitous  mountains.  It  contains  prototypes  of 
the  vine  lands  of  France,  the  olive  lands  of  Spain,  the 
fig  lands  of  Smyrna.and  the  fertile  bottom  lands  of 
Holland,  without  the  dykes.  The  flavors  of  the  wines 
of  this  township  and  other  townships  .of  Alameda 
County  are  unexcelled  anywhere  in  the  State,  and  are 
believed  to  be  equal  to  the  best  importations  from 
Europe.     With  reference  to  the  wine  industry  of  the 


township  it  ma)'  be  said  that  it  was  at  first  an  experi- 
ment, because  it  was  at  first  believed  the  lack  of  mois- 
ture by  rainfall  would  not  allow  the  grapes  to  mature. 
This  was  dispelled  by  e.xperience,  and  it  was  shown 
by  cultivation  that  the  driest  soils  would  maintain 
moisture  during  the  summer  season  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  surface,  even  in  the  driest  years.  These 
were  lands  similar,  then,  to  the  famous  wine  lands  of 
Bordeaux  and  Burgundy  in  France.  When  this  was 
demonstrated  by  experiment,  a  number  of  men,  includ- 
ing Julius  P.  Smith,  C.  A.  and  C.  J.  Wetmore,  J.  H. 
Wheeler,  and  the  late  Dr.  George  Bernard,  about  1881, 
invested  in  a  district  now  comprising  something  over 
five  thousand  acres  of  what  was  then  known  as  th^ 
poorest  land  in  the  Livermore  Valley,  in  this  town- 
ship— land  upon  which  grain  had  made  poor  growth 
and  yield.  Upon  this  land  the  vine  flourished.  In 
1883  the  first  yield  of  grapes  was  handled  by  one 
winery,  but  it  now  requires  fourteen  to  handle  the 
output,  which  has  grown  from  a  few  hundred  gallons 
to  nearly  five  hundred  thousand  gallons.  Only  the 
highest  of  the  European  wine  grapes  have  been 
planted.  The  following  are  some  of  the  varieties 
grown  in  this  district :  Zinfandel,  .Sauvignon  Vert, 
Cabernet  Sauvignon,  Sauvignon  Blanc,  Malvoisie, 
Muscatine  du  Bordulais,  Malbec,  Franken  Riesling, 
Colombar,  Mataro,  Charbono,  Folle  Blanche,  Petite 
Pinot,  Petite  Rouschet,  Semillon,  Johannesberg  Ries- 
ling, Grenache,  Petite  Syrah,  Frontignan,  Chauche 
Noir,  Gro.ssen  Blauer,  Tros.seau,  Burger,  Cabernet 
Franc,  Golden  Chasselas,  Gutedel,  Meunier,  Merlot, 
Mondeu.se,  Chablis,  Alicante  Bouschet,  Verdot,  Blanc 
Pllba,  Tannat,  Orleans  Riesling,  Gray  Riesling,  Boal, 
Folle  Noir,  Rose  Peru,  Verdal.  The  most  prominent 
varieties  grown  are  the  Zinfandel,  and  the  largest  out- 
put of  wine  is  of  that  variety.  At  a  recent  meeting  of 
a  convention  of  California  viticulturists  a  committee 
of  fifteen  experts  .selected  twenty-nine  "extra"  types 
of  wine  from  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  samples, 
and  of  these  twenty-nine,  fifteen  were  from  Alameda 
County  vintages,  showing  the  high  grade  of  its 
products.  Adjoining  this  wine  district  of  five  thou- 
sand acres  are  still  one  hundred  thousand  acres  equally 
as  well  adapted  for  vines.  There  is  now  produced 
in  Murray  Township  every  European  grape  distin- 
o-uished  for  the  quality  of  its  wine,  and  the  vintages  of 
the  Livermore  Valley  have  taken  the  lead  of  all  others 
in  California.  Vineyards  are  produced  in  this  district 
from  the  cuttings,  and  begin  to  bear  in  the  third  or 
fourth  year,  according  to  the  variety,  and  are  in  full 
bearing  in  the  seventh  orerghth  years..  The. cost  of 
vine  land  is  from  .S40  to  ^90  per  acre,  and  the  relative 
cost  of  the  vineyard— setting  out  the  vines,  care,  etc., 


PLATE    27 


RESIDENCE  OF  JAMES    SHINN,NILES    CAL. 


COUNTRY    HOME    OF    LQRING    PICKERING  .NILES ,  CAL 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


57 


until  self-supporting — is  from  $50  to  $100  additional 
per  acre.  Twenty  acres  of  vine  land  in  full  bearing 
will  support  a  family  comfortably.  The  product  is 
from  three  to  six  tons  per  acre,  being  rather  as  to 
quality  than  quantity.  The  prices  per  ton  for  the 
commoi'i  varieties  range  from  $12  to  ;$20,  and  for  the 
higher  grades  of  Bordeaux  and  Sauterne  from  $40 
to  ;S50.  Estimating  at  the.se  figures,  a  vineyard  in  full 
bearing  will  net  from  ^lOO  to  ^200  per  acre.  No  irri- 
gation is  necessary  in  this  district  even  in  the  driest 
seasons,  as  moist  soil  is  found  within  four  inches  of 
the  surface  after  a  lapse  of  five  months  after  the  last 
spring  rains.  It  is  claimed  that  no  variety  of  wine, 
raisin,  or  table  grape  now  grown  in  the  Livermore 
Valley  can  be  produced  in  any  part  of  the  United 
States  east  of  tlie  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  growth  of  grapes  and  production  of  wine  is 
only  one  of  the  industries  of  this  township.  A  few 
years  after  the  setting  out  of  the  first  vineyards,  A.  T. 
Hatch,  a  large  fruit  grower  of  Solano  County,  made 
an  examination  of  the  soil  and  the  climatic  conditions, 
and,  being  satisfied  of  the  adaptability  of  both  to  the 
production  of  certain  varieties,  purchased  several  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  in  the  Livermore  Valley.  He,  in 
conjunction  with  several  other  gentlemen,  planted 
several  hundred  acres  of  almonds,  and  the  remain- 
der in  French  prunes,  Bartlett  pears,  and  other  fruits. 
These  are  now  in  beariiig  and  produce  M'ell. 

A  peach  orchard  on  the  Cresta  Blanca  ranch  of  C.  A. 
Wetmore,  of  seven  acres^  in  the  fifth  year  after  plant- 
ing, produced  forty-two  tons  of  fruit,  and  the  brand  of 
Chateau  Yquem  wine  (Sauterne)  from  the  same  farm 
took  the  gold  medal  at  the  Paris  Exposition  of  1 889, 
the  judges  being  unable  to  detect  any  difference  be- 
tween it  and  the  best  French  wine  of  the  same  brand. 
It  was  also  awarded  the  premium  at  the  recent  Me- 
chanics' Institute  Fair. 

Apricots  and  prunes  in  this  township  also  produce 
well  and  it  is  a  question  whether  or  not  they  may  not 
prove  as  acceptable  and  profitable  a  crop  as  the  high 
type  wine  grapes,  for  the  reason  that  there  is  less  de- 
lay in  receiving  returns  and  less  output  necessary  in 
marketing  them. 

The  principal  towns  in  the  township  are  Livermore 
and  Pleasanton.  The  former  is  an  incorporated  town 
and  has  gained  in  population  three  to  four  hundred  per 
cent  in  the  past  ten  years,  and  its  taxable  property  has 
increased  in  value  from  ^250,500  in  1882  to  ^620,000 
in  1893.  It  has  a  sprightly  newspaper,  the  various 
religious  and  fraternal  societies,  etc.  At  Pleasanton 
is  the  stock  farm  of  the  late  Count  Guilio  Valensin, 
where  several  famous   racing  horses  were  raised    and 


trained.  The  hops  grown  in  and  around  Pleasanton 
are  the  finest  grown  on  the  coast. 

The  total  valuation  of  the  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty-five  acres 
in  this  township  in  1882  was  $3,163,965;  in  1892  it 
was  ^6,189.670. 

There  are  to  be  found  in  the  township  coal,  mag- 
nesia, manganese,  manganite,  chrome  and  mineral 
paint,  but  they  have  not  as  yet  been  developed.  A 
shaft  has  been  sunk  for  a  coal  mine,  though  the  taking 
coal  in  any  quantities  has  not  yet  been  carried  cut  by 
the  owner.  Crude  oil  has  also  been  found,  and  indi- 
cations of  petroleum  oil  and  natural  gas  were  dis- 
covered recently,  and  there  is  an  intention  of  organiz- 
ing a  company  to  prosecute  the  search  for  natural  gas 
so  as  to  supply  another  illuminating  and  heat  product 
for  Oakland  and  San  Francisco.  The  nearest  natural 
gas  so  far  in  use  is  across  the  Contra  Costa  Range  at 
Stockton,  in  San  Joaquin  County. 


CHAPTER  XL 

WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 

Its    Location,    Products — Agricultural,    Horticultural,  Viticul- 
tural — Natural  Advantages,  etc. 

The  township  of  Washington  is  in  the  southwestern 
corner  of  the  county.  It  is  the  second  in  size  in  the 
county,  containing  an  area  of  eighty-eight  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight  acres,  and  is  about 
tweh'e  miles  wide  by  thiitcen  in  length.  It  is  a  level 
alluvial  plain,  bounded  westerly  by  the  shore  of  San 
Francisco  Bay,  on  the  east  by  the  foothills;  on  the 
westerly  border  are  salt  marshes,  embracing  many 
acres,  but  many  of  these  marshy  tracts  are  gradually 
filling  up  and  are  only  overflowed  by  the  highest  tides, 
while  others  would  require  only  a  small  dyke  to  be 
secure  at  all  times  from  tidal  overflow.  There  are  now 
between  thirty  thousand  and  thirty-five  thousand  acres 
of  this  marsh  land.  A  great  portion  of  this  can  be 
reclaimed.  About  thirty  thousand  acres  of  the  re- 
maining land  is  under  cultivation. 

In  this  township  was  the  original  settlement  of  the 
mission  fathers  years  ago,  and  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil  at  Mission  San  Jose.  It  isincreasing  year  by  year  in 
valuation.  In  1882  the  total  valuation  of  the  entire 
township  was  $4,175,402.  This  has  inci'eased  in  the 
ten  years  to  $5,289,999,  or  upward  of  $100,000  per 
year. 

One  remarkable  thing  in  this  township  is  a  belt 
about  three  miles  broad  by  twelve  long  where  there 
are  no  frosts  during  the  coldest  winters.  This  is  true 
of  no  other   part  of   the  county.     There  is    very  little 


5' 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


frost  anywhere  in  the  county,  but  in  the  section 
mentioned  there  is  none,  and  the  orange,  lemon,  oHve, 
magnolia,  camellia  and  other  semi-tropical  fruits  and 
flowers  grow  out-of-doors.  The  old  Mission  of  San 
Jose,  where  the  Spanish  missions  were  first  established, 
is  in  this  township  and  in  this  warm  belt.  It  begins 
at  about  two  hundred  feet  altitude  and  its  bounds  are 
very  plainly  defined.  It  extends  a  little  way  into  the 
valley  and  back  upon  the  foothills.  The  choicest 
vineyards  and  orchards  at  Niles  are  in  this  favored 
belt,  where  almonds  bear  as  in  only  a  few  other  spots 
in  the  State,  and  where  oranges,  lemons,  the  date  palm, 
bananas  and  other  semi-tropic  growths  are  to  be  seen. 
From  Niles  along  the  foothills  to  Mission  San  Jose 
and  Warm  Springs  the  climate  is  much  the  same.  At 
points  there  is  more  wind;  some  are  more  sheltered; 
some  appreciably  warmer  than  others,  but,  all  in  all, 
this  thermal  belt  of  southern  Alameda  County  will 
safely  bear  comparison  with  the  best  portions  of 
counties  much  further  south. 

The  alluvium  of  this  township  is  broader  in  extent 
and  of  greater  depth  than  anywhere  else  about  the 
bay.  It  is,  in  general,  a  rich  black  loam,  which  is 
found  to  rest  upon  a  substratum  of  gravel  and  sand 
at  a  depth  of  from  six  to  thirty  feet,  which  latter  depth 
is  found  at  Niles.  From  the  presence  of  this,  layer  of 
gravel  a  natural  system  of  subsoil  drainage  is  main- 
tained of  such  excellence  that  the  soil  may  be  turned 
up  from  any  depth  and  yet  be  found  always  moist 
without  being  saturated.  As  the  ascent  is  made 
toward  the  foothills,  the  alluvium  is  gradually  left  be- 
hind, and  in  its  place  is  found  a  soil  lighter  in  color, 
somewhat  gravelly  and  dry,  but  in  the  main  fertile, 
and  especially  valuable  for  fruits.  Across  the  north- 
ern portion  of  the  township  runs  the  Alameda 
Creek.  Its  eastern  boundary  is  found  in  the  bed  of 
the  Calaveras  Creek.  These,  with  a  number  of 
sloughs  upon  the  bay  shore,  the  well-known  Mission 
Creek,  the  several  more  or  less  permanent  brooks  of 
the  mountains,  are  the  water  courses  of  the  township. 
This  township  justly  claims  among  its  valued  achieve- 
ments the  possession  of  a  fruit  belt  of  unusual  extent, 
variety  and  value,  the  first  establishment  on  a  pay- 
ing basis  of  the  sugar  beet  industry  of  California, 
which  has  grown  into  one  of  our  most  valuable  indus- 
tries, and  the  possession  of  a  famous  wine  district, 
second  to  none  in  the  State.  Nurseries  among  the 
largest  in  California  have  been  established  on  Alameda 
Creelc,  near  Niles.  In  a  few  years  Niles,  Decoto, 
Centerville  and  the  Mission  San  Jose  will  be  known 
as  among  the  heaviest  shippers  of  deciduous  fruits, 
table  grapes,  wines,  nuts,  dried  and  canned  fruits. 
The  whole  region,  for  miles,  is  destined  to  become  one 


vast  orchard,  and  the  hill  slopes  one  continuous  vine- 
}-ard. 

The  wine  industry  of  Washington  Township,  great 
as  it  is,  has  only  just  made  a  fair  beginning,  and  yet 
the  assessment  roll  of  the  township  shows  one  hun- 
dred acres  in  table  grapes  and  raisins,  and  two  thou- 
sand two  hundred  acres  in  wine  grapes,  each  acre 
yielding  from  two  to  seven  tons  of  grapes.  It  has 
been  estimated  by  careful  obser\-ers  that  this  one 
township  has  two  million  one  hundred  and  fifty-five 
thousand  vines,  producing  about  four  hundred  thou- 
sand gallons  of  wine  each  year.  The  chief  \iiie\ard- 
ists  and  wine  makers  in  this,  one  of  the  riciiest  wine 
districts  of  California,  are  Josiah  Stanford  and  John 
L.  Beard  at  the  Warm  Springs,  and  Jluui  Gal  legos 
and  Chas.  C.  Mclvor  at  the  Mission  San  Jnsc. 

Warm  Springs  was  at  one  time  a  notetl  sanitarium, 
but,  with  a  change  in  the  ownership  of  the  property, 
it  was  diverted  to  other  uses.  Yet  if  at  any  time  it 
should  be  deemed  advisable  by  the  present  owner  of 
the  property  to  develop  its  resources  in  this  direction, 
there  will  not  be  found  a  place  in  the  country  which 
could  offer  superior  advantages.  Situated  in  the 
heart  of  the  strange  thermal  belt,  with  its  equable  cli- 
mate, and  abundantly  supplied  with  invigorating  and 
tonic  mineral  waters,  it  might  be  made  a  very  Caiifor- 
nian  Ems. 

One  of  the  chief  evidences  of  tlie  value  of  Washing- 
ton Township  fruit  lands  is  the  disinclination  of  the  own- 
ers to  part  with  them.  Very  little  land  is  for  sale  in  the 
region,  and  }'et  it  is  being  improved  and  is  mostly  in 
small  holdings  already.  Washington  Township  has 
also  a  large  acreage  in  vegetable  land,  along  the 
creeks  and  bay,  second  in  quality  to  none  in  tlie  State. 
On  the  warm  hills  land,  rated  only  a  few  years  ago  as 
cheap  pasture  land,  worth  only  $20  per  acre,  rents  for 
over  half  that  per  year  for  early  vegetables,  such  as 
peas  and  potatoes.  The  line  of  cultivation  is  rapidh' 
extending  into  the  foothills,  and  another  generation 
will  discover  that  of  the  more  than  thirty  thousand 
acres  now  rated  as  untillable,  hardly  ten  thousand  are 
really  so.  Another  extension  of  the  line  is  toward  the 
marshes.  Reclamation  plans  now  under  way  will 
soon  bring  into  cultivation  thousands  of  acres  of 
boundless  fertility,  now  subject  to  tidal  overflow. 

The  township  is  traversed  by  two  railways,  both 
under  control  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Company.  The 
narrow-gauge  road  skirts  the  marshes  and  passes 
through  the  western  part  of  the  township.  The  broad 
guage  skirts  the  hills  some  miles  to  the  eastward. 
The  principal  villages  on  the  line  of  the  narrow-gauge 
railroad  are  Alvarado,  the  former  county  seat,  and 
Newark,  where  are  the  shops  of  the  Southern   Pacific 


PLATE  28 


PA<?IFIC    C0/i5T   OIL   <?0|>1PANV5  ReplN^RY,  AiAf^LDA  POINT   QA'A      GEfJ  OFFICe  13  PINE  51    5AM   FPAM<5lS<;0 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM  OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


59 


Coast  Railroad.  Decoto,  Niles,  and  Irvington  are  the 
most  considerable  places  upon  the  broad-gauge  road. 
Centerville  and  the  Mission  San  Jose  are  the  centers 
of  much  trade,  and  are  thriving  towns,  though  not 
upon  any  railroad  line. 

At  Irvington,  in  this  township,  is  the  immense 
winery  erected  some  years  ago  by  Juan  Gallegos. 
In  this  vicinity,  and  that  of  Mission  San  Jose,  are  a  few 
orange  orchards,  where  as  fine  navel  oranges  and  seed- 
lings are  grown  as  anywhere  else  in  the  State,  not  ex- 


cepting the  southern  part  or  the  northern  citrus  belt. 
In  the  vicinity  of  Niles  the  same  is  true,  and  at  this 
point  also  are  grown  fine  cherries  and  all  the  various 
varieties  of  almonds  to  perfection.  A  great  deal  of 
fruit  from  the  lower  end  of  this  township  and  from 
about  Niles  goes  each  season  to  the  canneries  and 
drying  establishments  at  San  Jose.  Considerable 
quantities  of  fruit  are  sun  dried  in  this  vicinity,  and  it 
is  a  fact  that  about  three  hundred  tons  of  dried  fruit 
were  shipped  from   Niles  during  the  season  of  1893. 


Description  of  Illustrations. 

Below  is  an   explanation  of  the  scenes  represented  by  plates,    not  mentioned  in  general  matter. 


Plate  No.  2. — Situated  upon  the  shore  of  Lake  Mer- 
ritt,  stands  the  residence  and  beautiful  surroundings 
of  M.  W.  Murry.  The  house  was  built  several  years 
ago,  before  the  influx  of  modern  arcliitecture  with  its 
many  fanciful  designs  was  inaugurated.  The  build- 
ings are  very  substantially  constructed  of  wood.  The 
finest  of  the  woodwork  inside  the  house  is  of  solid 
black  walnut.  The  walls  and  ceilings  of  the  house 
and  billiard  room  are  beautifully  and  richly  frescoed. 
The  grounds  contain  many  of  the  choicest  trees  and 
flowers;  a  large  and  artistic  fountain  stands  in  the 
yard;  in  other  parts  of  the  grounds  stand  many  pieces 
of  artistic  statuary,  making  one  of  the  most  attractii'e 
homes  in  the  city. 

Plate  No.  J. — Represents  Ruby  Hill  vineyard. 
Ruby  Hill  is  an  estate  consisting  of  four  hundred  fifty 
acres  situated  in  the  most  favored  part  of  the  celebrated 
Livermore  Valley,  forty  miles  from  San  Francisco. 
It  is  the  property  of  J.  Crellin  &  'Sons,  and  was  espe- 
cially selected  as  a  site  for  a  vineyard  to  be  devoted  to 
the  highest  qualities  of  French  wine  types, — Sauternes, 
Medocs,  and  Burgundies.  Two  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  are  now  in  full  bearing,  all  of  which  are  of  the 
choicest  imported  varieties.  A  large  and  complete 
winery  and  distillery  is  in  full  operation,  where  the 
choicest  wines  and  brandies  of  three  vintages  are  ma- 
turing continually. 

The  situation  of  this  property  is  one  of  the  most 
picturesque,  and  the  quality  of  the  soil,  being  gravelly 
alluvium  from  cretaceous  and  calcareous  hills,  is  a 
guaranty  of  the  high  promise  of  future  vintages. 

The  following  wines  can  be  obtained  in  glass  or 
bulk:  Haut  Sauterne,  Sauterne,  Riesling,  Burger, 
Cabernet,  Burgundy,  Zinfandel,  and  brandy. 


Post  office  address,  J.  Crellin  &  Sons,  Pleasanton, 
California. 

Plate  No.  ^. — Represents  the  home  of  E.x-Governor 
Geo.  C.  Perkins,  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Cal- 
ifornia, who  is  agent  and  owner  in  company  (Goodall, 
Perkins  &  Co.)  of  several  lines  of  steamships,  running 
from  San  Francisco  to  Los  Angeles,  San  Diego,  and 
Mexico,  up  the  coast  to  Oregon  and  Washington,  also 
to  Alaska. 

This  residence  is  beautifully  located  on  "Vernon 
Heights,"  elevated  sufficiently  to  give  a  fine  view  of 
the  bay  and  surrounding  scenery.  It  is  on  the  line  of 
Piedmont  Cable  Railroad,  fronting  south  on  Oakland 
Avenue,  occupying  the  entire  frontage  of  the  block 
from  Vernon  Avenue  to  Orange  Street.  North  one- 
half  block  the  outside  of  the  grounds  along  the  walks 
are  planted  Australian  palms,  inside  the  grounds  by 
the  walks  and  drives  and  on  the  lawn  and  flower  gar- 
dens are  various  kinds  of  trees  and  flowers,  including 
the  fan  palms,  pampas  grass  in  dress  plumes,  which 
resemble  large  white  feathers.  On  the  right  of  the 
residence  is  a  large  and  ornamental  conservatory,  filled 
with  the  choicest  of  flowers  and  plants. 

The  residence  itself  is  of  modern  architecture,  orna- 
mental as  well  as  substantially  built. 

Plate  No.  5. — Near  the  village  of  San  Leandro  is  the 
home  of  F.  S.  Hastings,  only  six  acres,  but  on  this 
small  farm  there  is  a  richness  and  variety  of  fruit 
that  is  delightful  to  behold.  The  house  and  outbuild- 
ings are  built  of  wood.  The  house  is  square,  rather 
ornamental,  and  contains  a  large,  cool  basement.  In 
front,  along  the  road,  is  a  row  of  large  pepper  trees. 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM   OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


Plate  No.  6. — Situated  right  in  the  heart  of  the  city 
of  Oakland,  at  Twenty-fifth  Street  and  Telegraph  Ave- 
nue, is  the  palatial  home  of  J.  M.  Merrell.  Thegrounds 
occupy  one  block  on  Telegraph  Avenue,  from  Twent}-- 
fifth  to  Twenty-sixth  Street,  west  about  six  hundred 
feet.  The  residence  itself  is  a  very  ornamental  piece 
of  architecture  of  wood,  is  large,  roomy,  and  spacious, 
with  verandas,  conservatoiy,  etc.  The  grounds  are 
among  the  largest  of  city  gardens,  and  are  set  with  all 
the  different  varieties  of  trees,  plants,  and  flowers, 
peculiar  to  this'  and  foreign  climates.  Upon  three  sides 
of  these  spacious  grounds  is  a  substantial  iron  fence, 
which  adds  greatly  to  the  general  appearance  of  the 
place.  Outside  the  grounds  and  walks  are  trees,  and, 
although  the)-  are  quite  shad}-  and  conspicuous,  the_\- 
are  only  three  years  old.  While  this  picture  gi\es  a 
good  idea  of  the  house,  grounds,  walks,  etc.,  it  em- 
braces a  good  deal  more.  Upon  the  adjoining  block 
all  of  the  buildings  are  represented.  Back  of  these  in  a 
general  way  is  seen  a  good  portion  of  the  citj'  of  Oak- 
land. Still  further  in  the  background  is  seen  the  ba\' 
and  city  of  San  Francisco,  and  the  Golden  Gate  en- 
trance to  the  harbor,  also  several  islands  in  the  bay. 
To  the  right  in  the  distance  are  the  hills  of  Marin 
Count}-;    the  highest  point  is  Mt.  Tamalpias. 

Plate  No.  7. — On  East  Oakland  Heights,  looking 
toward  Oakland  and  San  Francisco,  are  the  home  and 
beautiful  grounds  of  Hon.  H.  G.  Blasdel.  Mr.  Blasdel 
has  been  a  resident  of  California  several  years,  but  in 
the  early  history  of  the  State  of  Nevada  he  \vas  twice 
elected  governor  of  that  State.  It  is  on  the  line  of  the 
Twenty-third  Avenue  electric  railroad.  The  grounds 
are  elevated,  and  from  all*  points,  especially  from  the 
second  story  of  the  residence,  is  a  fine  view  of  the  bay 
looking  west,  and  also  of  the  hills  and  valley  to  the 
south  and  east.  The  residence  is  a  large  square  frame 
building,  relieved  with  commodious  verandas,  bay  win- 
dows,etc.  It  is  two  stories  above  the  basement,  finished 
with  all  modern  improvements,  making  a  most  attract- 
ive and  beautiful  home.  The  picture  nOt  only  shows 
the  land  comprising  the  homestead,  but  considerable 
more.  Surrounding  this  are  a  large  number  of  lots 
that  are  most  desirable  for  residences,  being  situated 
so  near  rapid  transit  railroads.  They  are  for  sale  on 
very  easy  terms. 

Plate  No.  S. — Represents  Edwin  Whipple's  res- 
idence. 

RESIDENCE  OF  JOHN  C.  WHIPPLE,  ESQ. 

Plate  No.  p. — The  residence  of  J.  C.  Whipple  is  sit- 
uated on  his  farm  of  400  acres  in  Washington  Town- 
ship, one  mile  from  the  town  of  Decoto.  Mr. 
Whiople's  farm  and  the  land  in  the  vicinit}'  are  among 


the  finest  in  the  county,  the  soil  being  ver}-  rich, 
yielding  forty  bushels  of  barley  to  the  acre.  It  will 
also  produce  fifteen  tons  of  sugar  beets  per  acre. 
The  land  in  this  localit}-  is  valued  at  three  hundred 
dollars  per  acre  and  pa}-s  a  profit  of  three  per  cent  on 
the  investment.  Mr.  Whipple  has  a  herd  of  fifty  short- 
horn Durham  cattle,  also  a  large  number  of  work  and 
stock  horses.  He  is  also  interested,  with  his  brother, 
Edwin  Whipple,  in  several  hundred  acres  of  land  about 
a  mile  distant.  He  is  a  pioneer  Californian,  coming  to 
the  State  earl}-  in  the  50's.  He  is  well  known 
throughout  the  count}-  and  State. 

Plate  No.  10. — Is  a  \'iew,  looking  east,  of  Castro 
\^alle\-,  which  is  known  as  a  ver}-  fertile  section  of 
Alameda  Count}-.  This  valley  is  so  sheltered  b}-  sur- 
rounding hills  that  tropical  fruits  are  grown  here  suc- 
cessful!}-. Some  of  the  finest  lemons  and  oranges 
produced  here  are  the  best  specimens  the  county 
affords.  The  foreground  of  the  plate  represents  the 
home  of  J.  H.  Strobridge,  situated  in  Eden  Township, 
about  one  and  one-half  miles  east  of  the  town  of  Hay- 
ward,  known  as  the  Laurel  Ranch.  The  farm  consists 
of  two  hundred  twenty  acres.  Mr.  Strobridge  also  has 
some  veiy  fine  blooded  horses  and  gives  considerable 
attention   to  stock  raising. 

Plate  No.  12. — Represents  the  orchards  of  E.  S. 
Denison,  situated  at  Niles.  The  upper  view  is  an 
almond  orchard  of  20  acres;  the  trees  are  all  young, 
but  a  good  many  are  bearing  fruit.  The  other  view 
shows  an  orchard  of  a  variety  of  fruit  trees  consisting 
of  cherries,  apricots,  pears,  peaches,  plums,  apples,  etc.; 
it  contains  about  1 5  acres.  Although  these  orchards 
are  not  very  e.xtensive,  the  fruit  is  of  a  choice  variety 
and  yields  very  abundantly,  nestling  under  the  foot- 
hills at  Niles,  making  a  variety  of  scenery  in  mountain 
and  valley  that  is  delightful  to  look  upon.  Mr.  Den- 
ison resides  in  Oakland.  He  makes  fruit  raising  a 
part  of  his  otherwise  busy  life. 

_Plate  No.  i^. — Represents  the  home  of  Charles 
Nelson.  This  beautiful  spot  is  situated  about  two 
miles  east  of  Oakland  on  Seminar}'  Avenue.  This 
avenue  runs  from  the  county  road  to  Mills  Seminary. 
It  is  near  the  hills,  and  in  fact  a  part  of  the  grounds 
are  a  little  rolling.  From  the  entrance  along  the 
driveway  to  the  house  on  both  sides  of  the  way  are 
planted  some  Monterey  cypress  trees.  As  will  be 
obsei-ved  by  the  picture,  they  resemble  square  blocks. 
This  is  the  way  the  trees  are  trimmed  and  is  purely  a 
matter  of  taste.  These  indeciduous  trees  can  be  cut 
into  most  any  shape  or  design  desired.  The  grounds 
also  contain  choice  fruit  and  ornamental  trees. 

Plate  No.  23.— \V  has  been  the  earnest  desire  of  the 
promoter    of  the    Olivina,   to   produce   delicate   table 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM   OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 


wines,  of  a  character  of  excellence  to  compare  favor- 
ably with  the  renowned  vintages  of  Europe.  How  far 
the  planting  of  foreign  vines  and  researches  in  the 
vine  lands  of  Europe,  supplemented  with  fine  formations 
of  soil  and  a  perfect  climate,  with  the  generous  sun- 
shine during  the  ripening  period,  have  contributed  to 
this  attainment,  can  best  be  determined  by  a  study  of 
the  several  types  of  the  Olivina  vintages.  These  vines 
will  be  listed  at  the  Viticultural  Restaurant  and  Cafe',  in 
the  California  State  Building  in  the  Columbian  Expo- 
sition. 

The  Olivina  Pavilion  will  be  located  in  the  Wine 
Department  of  the  Horticultural  Hall,  where  connois- 
seurs, interested  parties,  and  the  trade  generally,  are 
requested  to  introduce  themselves  and  test  the  qualities 
of  the  Olivina  wines  and  brandies. 

Plate  No.  26. — Represents  the  home  and  vineyard 
of  James  Concannon.  This  place  is  situated  one  and 
one-half  miles  southeast  from  the  town  of  Li\ermore,  in 
Livermore  Valley.  The  farm  contains  47  acres,  mostly 
in  vines.  The  kinds  of  grapes  raised  are  Corignan, 
Matars,  Grenache,  Zinfandel,  Burger,  FoUe,  and 
Reanche.     A  few  acres  only  are  devoted  to  other  fruits. 

The  average  yield  of  grapes  is  about  three  and  one- 
half  tons  per  acre.  Mr.  Concannon  manufactures 
wine  from  his  and  others'  grapes  to  the  amount  of  fifty 
to  sixty  thousand  gallons  annually.  His  wines  being 
of  excellent  quality,  he  supplies  a  great  deal  to  the 
local  retail  trade,  as  well  as  to  the  wholesale.  Mr. 
Concannon  commenced  here  nine  years  ago,  and, 
with  care  and  enterprise,  he  has  built  up  a  large  trade 
in  grape  cuttings.  Four  years  ago  his  first  crop  of 
cuttings  amounted  to  one  hundred  thousand.  Now 
he  sells  one  million  annually,  mostly  to  Mexico.  The 
residence  is  a  snug  cottage  with  a  good-sized  wine 
cellar. 

Plate  No.  26. — In  the  beautiful  city  of  Alameda, 
which  is  situated  near  Oakland,  is  the  home  of  E.  L. 
Scheffelin.  It  is  on  Central  Avenue.  It  is  one  of  many 
beautiful  places  in  this  city  of  homes.  There  are  larger 
and  more  imposing  buildings  than  this  one,  but  it  is 
of  modernarchitecture,tvvo  stories,  frame,  finished  com- 
plete, and  contains  all  that  makes  a  home  substantial 
as  well  as  ornamental.  Thegrounds  are  nicely  laid  out 
with  cement  walks  and  bordered  with  all  the  choicest 
plants  and  trees  that  abound  in  this  semi-tropical 
climate. 

Plate  No.  2j. — Situated  near  the  village  of  Niles  is 

the  country    residence    of  Loring    Pickering,  as    the 

picture  represents,  a  very  comfortable  two-story  frame 

building  with  outbuildings.     The  grounds  are  taste- 

ully  laid  out  with  a  variety  of  flowers  and  many  of 


the  trees  peculiar  to  this  climate.  In  the  rear  is  a 
large  orchard  of  fruit  trees,  vineyards,  etc.  Mr.  Picker- 
ing is  an  old  citizen  and  representative  man  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  has  long  been  identified  with  and  engaged 
in  journalism,  being  editor  and  publisher  of  the  San 
Francisco  Call.  Together  with  his  family  he  spends 
the  summer  months  in  this  rural  home,  returning  to 
his  palatial  home  in  San  Francisco  for  the  winter. 

RESIDENCE  .\V.Yi  FARM  OF  J.^MES  SHINN,  ESQ. 

Plate  No.  2y. — This  farm,  near  Niles,  Washington 
Township,  is  mainly  a  rich  alluvial  soil,  made  by  the 
deposits  from  the  Alameda  Creek,  and  is  what  is  usu- 
ally described  as  sandy  loam.  This  soil  is  of  the  type 
of  the  best  fruit  and  vegetable  lands  of  California, 
and  is  justly  famed  for  its  ease  of  cultivation  and  its 
remarkable  richness  in  all  the  elements  that  are  needed 
for  plant  growth.  In  fact,  all  of  this  land  has  been  in. 
cultivation  for  about  forty  years,  and  while  it  does  not, 
of  course,  produce  in  the  prodigal  abundance  that  it 
did  when  it  was  virgin  soil,  it  still  does,  without  fertil- 
izing or  much  change  of  crops,  produce  in  such  large 
quantities  that,  should  I  give  them,  people  who  are 
not  used  to  California  soils  would  not  believe. 

There  are  over  ten  thousand  fruit  trees  on  the  ranch, 
principally  cherry,  apricot,  peach,  almond,  pear,  apple, 
prune,  orange,  walnut,  in  about  the  order  named. 
There  are  also  a  few  trees  of  the  following  varieties, — 
lemon,  filbert,  fig,  olive,  and  pecan,  of  the  latter  of 
which  there  is  a  very  fine  avenue  of  trees  fifty  to  sev- 
enty-five feet  high,  though  only  fifteen  years  old. 
There  are  a  few  carob  trees  in  bearing,  which  produce 
the  "husks"  that  the  "prodigal  son"  is  said  to  have 
lived  upon  while  feeding  the  swine.  Then  there  are  the 
pistachio  nut  trees,  which  bear  the  nuts  from  which  the 
"green"  ice  cream  is  flavored.  There  are  jujube  shrubs, 
loquats,  date  palms,  fan  palms,  shaddock,  honey  locust 
and  many  other  kinds  of  fruit  and  shade  trees  and 
ornamental  shrubs. 

To  Eastern  people,  and  those  who  do  not  know  any 
climate  except  that  near  the  coast,  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting things  of  the  region  in  and  about  Niles  is  its 
climate.  While  only  thirty  miles  from  San  Francisco  and 
the  ocean  coast,  it  is  so  mild  and  warm  that  citrus  fruits, 
and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  all  fruits  and  plants  that  are  not 
strictly  tropical,  can  be  grown  to  perfection.  Indeed, 
some  winters  are  so  mild  that  there  are  hardly  any 
nights  cold  enough  for  even  white  frosts,  while  the 
summers  are  seldom  uncomfortably  warm. 

Plate  No.  28. — In  the  little  village  of  Irvington  there 
is  one  ideal  residence  and  grounds,  though  small.  It 
contains  some  very  handsome  ornaments.  It  is  the 
home  of    H.  Crowell.     The  trees  here  represent    an 


62 


ILLUSTRATED  ALBUM   OF  ALAMEDA  COUNTV. 


orange  grove' of  good-sized  bearing  trees.  It  is  not 
common  to  find  in  Alameda  County  many  orange 
orchards  so  thrifty  as  this  one  is.  In  fact,  they  are  not 
very  plentiful  in  the  county. .  It  shows  what  can  be 
raised  in  this  warm  valley,  with  proper  cultivation. 
The  residence  is  a  two-story  frame  building,  modern 
in  architecture,  and  a  beautiful  home. 

Plate  No.  28. — Represents  the  residence  of  H.  Curt- 
ner.  This  homestead  is  situated  at  Warm  Springs. 
The  ranch  consists  of  three  thousand  acres,  and  pro- 


duces a  variety  of  crops,  consisting  of  barley,  hay, 
potatoes,  fruit,  etc.  Barley  yields  forty  bushels  per 
acre,  hay,  two  tons  per  acre.  Thirty  thousand  sacks 
of  potatoes  were  raised  last  year,  1892.  From  ten 
to  fifteen  thousand  sacks  of  early  peas  are  raised 
annuall)'.  Almonds  and  othfer  nuts  and  peaches  are 
the  principal  products  of  the  farm  aside  from  the 
home  buildings,  surrounded  on  all  sides  with  fruit  and 
ornamental  trees.  There  are  good  and  substantial" 
outbuildings  necessary  for  farm  purposes. 


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